Open Houses at Scituate Light

The lighthouse in Scituate, Massachusetts, is notable for a number of reasons, including the following:

• The 1811 lighthouse and keeper's house are the oldest lighthouse/dwelling combination in the U.S. 

• The lighthouse is the scene of a famous War of 1812 story -- the "Scituate Army of Two," when two daughters of the keeper turned away invading British forces.

• The lighthouse was rescued from ruin by the Scituate Historical Society, after years of abandonment.

• In March 1956, the Italian freighter Etrusco ran aground right next to the lighthouse.

• In 1994, the lighthouse was reactivated as an aid to navigation, following 134 years in darkness.

In early 2009, schoolteacher Bob Gallagher was chosen by the Scituate Historical Society to be the new resident caretaker. Bob lives with his family in the keeper's house. You can follow his adventures on his blog -  oldscituatelight.blogspot.com.

Scituate Lighthouse will be open on five remaining open house dates in 2010: July 18, August 7 & 8, August 22, and October 17. All are 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Visiting this lighthouse during an open house is a treat. Not only do you get to climb into the lantern room, but you can also explore the covered passageway between the house and tower where display panels tell about the lighthouse and other aspects of local history.

For more on Scituate Light, visit here and here.

Happy Birthday, Bob Shanklin!

On their wedding trip in 1987, Bob and Sandra Shanklin visited a few lighthouses in Maine. The "lighthouse bug" took serious hold, and they soon developed an obsession to visit every lighthouse in the United States. They eventually succeeded in that quest. The Shanklins have truly earned the nickname, "The Lighthouse People."

They've not only photographed every lighthouse in the continental U.S., but also every one in Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. In 2009, they photographed every lighthouse in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Their travels have also taken them to British Columbia and Cuba.

Recently, the Shanklins embarked on a mission to digitally scan thousands of photos at the Coast Guard Historian's Office, so that the scans can be shared with lighthouse researchers everywhere. You can read about that project here.

They've accomplished a great deal and they've inspired lighthouse buffs to follow in their footsteps. Most importantly, Bob and Sandra are genuinely nice people.

Bob turns 85 on Friday, July 16. You can wish him a happy birthday via email -- the address is TheLighthousePeople@hotmail.com.

Photo: Bob and Sandra Shanklin at Wings Neck Lighthouse on Cape Cod in 2004.

Restoration of Owls Head Light nearing completion

The restoration of Maine's Owls Head Lighthouse will soon be complete and the tower open once again to the visiting public. In preparation for this exciting moment, you might say work crews were busy during the month of June preparing a “red carpet” welcome inside the lighthouse for future visitors.

Click here to read the whole story by Bob Trapani of the American Lighthouse Foundation.

Moose Peak Light in search of an owner

One of the lighthouses currently being offered to a suitable new steward under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act is Moose Peak Light, offshore from Jonesport, Maine. You read the Notice of Availability (PDF file) by clicking here.

Like so many offshore lighthouses, Moose Peak Light took a beating in bad weather. In a storm in 1839, the high seas had washed away the footbridge to the tower and nearly destroyed the lighthouse. Keeper Alexander Milliken reported, “The lantern vibrates and trembles, and also leaks somewhat under the eaves. The distance at which the dwelling-house stands from the light-house renders it dangerous during winter to get from one to the other.”

The present lighthouse tower was built in 1851. In 1901, the walls of the tower were covered with an eight-inch-thick layer of brick masonry.

In 1898, Keeper Charles Dobbins and his son rendered “gallant assistance” to the crew of the Nova Scotia schooner Ashton. The keeper was awarded a gold watch by the Canadian government. Dobbins couldn’t accept the gift until he was authorized to do so by an act of Congress.

Moose Peak Light was automated in 1972 and the Coast Guard keepers were removed. In 1982, a military team blew up the keeper’s house as a training exercise.

USCG lightkeeping traditions shine bright during lighthouse challenge

The 2010 Midcoast Maine Lighthouse Challenge, which occurred on June 26 & 27, offered the public a unique opportunity to not only visit and tour some of the region’s most popular lighthouses, but also the chance to view and learn how the United States Coast Guard works today to keep the lights shining bright.

Click here to read the rest of this story on the American Lighthouse Foundation site.

Wanna buy a lighthouse?

Under the provisions of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, if no suitable applicant -- such as a nonprofit group or a community -- is found for a historic lighthouse after it has been excessed by the Coast Guard, the property is sold by the GSA to the general public via an online auction. At least a dozen lighthouses have now been auctioned, including several in the Chesapeake Bay region.

Currently, there are four offshore lighthouses up for auction -- click here to see the list and current bids. The four are Borden Flats Light in Fall River, Massachusetts (see stories below); Latimer Reef Light in Fishers Island Sound, New York; Old Orchard Shoal Light and West Bank Light in New York Harbor, NY; and Ram Island Ledge Light off Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Latimer Reef has gotten a $15,000 bid, and Ram Island Ledge has a $10,000 bid. There have been no bids to date on the others.

All I can hope is that the parties who buy these priceless historic buildings realize their value to the nation as a whole, and that they give them the care they deserve. What will happen when the buyers eventually die? Will succeeding heirs possess the passion needed to care for these structures, which are extremely expensive to maintain over time? All we can do is hope for the best.

Photo: Old Orchard Shoal Light, New York.

2010 Open Houses at Plum Island Light, Newburyport, Mass.

This year's open houses at Plum Island Lighthouse, an 1898 wooden lighthouse at the northern tip of Plum Island in Newburyport, Massachusetts, will be on these dates:

July 25, Aug. 29, Sept. 26 and Oct. 10

There is a short ladder to climb to the top, so sneakers are required. Children must be at least 5 years old and meet a height requirement to travel to the top. Tours are free, but donations to support the Friends of Plum Island Light, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring the lighthouse, are appreciated.