This is an edited version of an interview that was first heard in May 2021. The guest is Kirby Eldridge, a former Coast Guard lighthouse keeper. Kirby was one of the two last keepers of Boon Island Light Station, which is about seven miles off the coast of southern Maine. Kirby and the other keeper… Continue reading Light Hearted Lite #41 – Kirby Eldridge, keeper at Boon Island, Maine
Boston Light Station in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, holds an honored place among America’s lighthouses. It was established in 1716 as the first light station on the continent. It’s also one of a small number of lighthouses to achieve designation as a National Historic Landmark. This past week, it was announced that the light station will… Continue reading Light Hearted ep 350: Boston Light special
Jazmina Barrera, a native of Mexico City, is an award-winning author. Her book On Lighthouses is equal parts personal memoir, literary history, and observations on lighthouses. The book was published in Spanish in 2017 and translated into English in 2020. “Barrera’s obsession is contagious. Her graceful sentences ensnare tidbits of history and tantalizing glimpses of… Continue reading Light Hearted Live! #8 – Author Jazmina Barrera (audio edition)
Walter Sedovic has dedicated his career to sustainable preservation. With more than two dozen lighthouse projects in his portfolio, Walter is one of the foremost authorities on the analysis, preservation, and stewardship of our nation’s heritage lighthouses, their technology, and the significant environmental concerns related to their locations. This is the audio from a livestream… Continue reading Light Hearted Live #7 – Historic preservation architect Walter Sedovic (audio edition)
In this episode, we’re shining a light on The Bar Fairies, a remarkable nonprofit proving that hope, kindness, and gratitude can inspire meaningful change, no matter the circumstances. Their mission is to celebrate those who make the responsible choice not to drive impaired. After experiencing unimaginable loss, Beth McBride and Carli Seymour chose purpose. Through… Continue reading Be the Light episode 5: The Bar Fairies – From Loss to Purpose
Millard Urquhart. a native of Jonesport, Maine, was born in 1899. After a couple of years working as a Coast Guard surfman at a local lifeboat station, Urquhart became the second assistant keeper at Ram Island Ledge Light in Cape Elizabeth in 1926. In the following year he moved to Seguin Island as a second… Continue reading Light Hearted ep 349 – Bertha Caler, granddaughter of Maine keeper Millard Urquhart
This is an edited interview first heard in May 2021, and the subject is Montauk Lighthouse on Long Island, New York. Located at the eastern tip of Long Island, Montauk is the oldest (1797) lighthouse in New York and the fourth oldest active lighthouse in the country. When the light station was automated and de-staffed… Continue reading Light Hearted Lite #40 – Mia Certic and Henry Osmers, Montauk, NY
Campobello Island is in southwestern New Brunswick, Canada, near the border with Maine. With trade, fishing, and shipbuilding flourishing on Campobello in the 1820s, it was decided that a lighthouse was needed. The lighthouse and the other station buildings were constructed in 1829 on a tiny island just offshore, accessible by land only at low… Continue reading Light Hearted ep 348 – Ilana Grallert, Head Harbour, Canada
Knotbrook Taylor is an award-winning poet who is originally from England and is now living in Scotland. The Museum of Scottish Lighthouses commissioned him to write a book of Scottish lighthouse poems in 2010, and he was the poet in residence for a time at the museum. His experimental photography has also received wide acclaim. In… Continue reading Light Hearted Live #6 – Knotbrook Taylor’s Scottish lighthouse poems
Jim Claflin, who is based in Massachusetts, is a recognized authority on antiques of the U.S. Lighthouse Service, Life-Saving Service, Revenue Cutter Service and early Coast Guard. Jim has specialized in antiques of this kind since the early 1990s. He is the owner of Kenrick A Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques, which has been in… Continue reading Light Hearted ep 347 – Nautical antiques expert Jim Claflin
