Peggy’s Cove To Be Painted

It seems that the tourists have finally shamed the Canadian government into painting the famous Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse in Nova Scotia. The government originally said it did not have the $25,000 that would be needed to paint the famous Nova Scotia icon. So many complaints were received that the government revisited the situation and determined that it would only cost $12,000 to repaint the lighthouse and that the work would be done as soon as the weather permits.

Rondout Repairs to Start

More than $220,000 in repair work will soon begin at New York’s Rondout Lighthouse located in Kingston on the Hudson River. Funding for the repairs was secured by the City of Kingston through grants, fundraising events and a loan. As part of the repairs, all 35 windows at the lighthouse will be replaced and the front portico, which will receive full restoration.

Middle Bay May Be Moved

Serious discussions are taking place in an effort to raise money to move Alabama’s Middle Bay Lighthouse to the mainland. Local preservationists state that this is now the only plausible way to save what remains of the lighthouse. Restoring it where it stands will be too expensive and still allow the lighthouse to be exposed to direct hits of storms and hurricanes. Support for the move is growing, although one local newspaper editorial suggests that the lighthouse should be left where it is.

Little River Damaged

Little River Lighthouse Station on an island off the coast of Cutler, Maine suffered some unexpected water damage over the winter months. Volunteers who have spent five years restoring the lighthouse station said this is an unexpected expense that was obviously not budgeted into this year’s expenses. It is also not covered by insurance. They are hoping that the lighthouse community will step forward with some financial help. Tax deductible donations can be sent to Friends of Little River Lighthouse, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation at www.LittleRiverLight.org.

Fort Gratiot Better Off With County

Although Michigan’s Fort Gratiot Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in Michigan, the second oldest on the Great Lakes and its builder, Lucius Lyon, went on to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate at statehood in 1837, the local city officials of Port Huron are still hemming and hawing about taking ownership of the lighthouse because they are worried about the cost of restoring it, even though the local preservationists have vowed to raise the money. With a minor exception, communities around the nation are jumping at the opportunity to own their own historic lighthouses. But this is not the case with the worrywarts in public office in Port Huron. Perhaps the county government should step in, or even the Port Huron Museum ask for ownership of the lighthouse and show the Port Huron officials how it can be done and let the income from the lighthouse, which will eventually happen, flow to someone else, other than the city.

Experimental Lighthouse To Get Help

The Cape Cleveland Lighthouse on the northern tip of Cape Cleveland in Queensland in the Coral Sea will soon be getting some financial help for much needed repairs to the historic lighthouse, which is still an official Australian aid to navigation. The lighthouse was originally built as an experimental lighthouse that would allow for relocation because of the shifting or eroding shoreline. It was automated in 1974 and now has caretakers living on the premises.

Spanish Roman Lighthouse Status

The world’s oldest Roman lighthouse, the Tower of Hercules, in A Corunna, Spain, has been declared a UNESCO heritage site. The tower is also a National Monument of Spain. In 1788, as part of a restoration, the towers height was raised under the direction of King Charles III of Spain.

This story appeared in the July 2009 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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