New London Harbor Lighthouse (CT) Reopens for Tours
With a new agreement in place governing the number of tours that can be given per day and week, public tours have resumed at New London Harbor Lighthouse in New London, Connecticut. The lighthouse tower is owned by the New London Maritime Society, while the adjacent house, where the lighthouse keeper once lived, is privately owned. The lighthouse, established in 1761 and rebuilt in 1801, is the state’s oldest.
Click here for more on this story.
* * *
Lorain Lighthouse Foundation (OH) asking area residents to vote the lighthouse “Best of Lake Erie.”
The Lorain Lighthouse Foundation Inc. board of trustees is asking area residents to vote the Lorain Lighthouse to be the “Best of Lake Erie.” Voting is online at www.lakeerieliving.com by April 1. There is a also paper ballot in Lake Erie Living’s 2019 annual travel guide.
* *
Grays Harbor Lighthouse (WA) study to be discussed tonight
The Westport South Beach Historical Society’s quarterly potluck Friday at 6 p.m. will include a presentation of findings from the 2018 professional review of the Grays Harbor Lighthouse. The society’s president Pete Eberle and members of the lighthouse restoration committee will be presenting and available for questions. There is also a grounds cleanup at the lighthouse starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Click here for more on this story.
* * *
Umpqua River Lighthouse (OR) extends hours
The Umpqua River Lighthouse museum and gift shop now has extended hours through September, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The lighthouse is home to one of the most magnificent first-order Fresnel lenses in the United States.
Click here for more on this story, including a gallery of photos of the lighthouse inside and out.
* * *
Upcoming Events
Tom and Lee Ann Szelog at the Maine State Library in Augusta, March 20 at 6:30 p.m.
Imagine living in a century-old lightkeeper’s house on the coast of Maine. It sounds like a fantasy, but for Tom and Lee Ann Szelog, dream became reality when they settled into the keeper’s quarters at the Marshall Point Lighthouse, in Port Clyde. Join the Szelogs to experience what it’s like to live in an authentic and operating lighthouse on the Maine coast on Wednesday, March 20, at 6:30 p.m., at the Maine State Library. Presented by the Kennebec Historical Society.
Click here for more information.
*
History of Dutch Chocolate – Wine & Chocolate Tasting at the Hudson River Maritime Museum, Kingston, New York, on Friday, March 22 at 6 p.m.
This educational evening will feature a wine tasting by Stone Ridge Wine and Spirits, as well as chocolate fountain, and homemade chocolate truffles. Stone Ridge Wine and Spirits will show you how to pair wines with chocolates, focusing on the best ports and dessert wines for your favorite sweets. There will be a special raffle for a case of wine, donated by Stone Ridge Wine and Spirits available only to guests of this special event.
There are a limited number of tickets available – click here for more info and registration
*
Lost Lighthouses of the Hudson River – Lecture at the Hudson River Maritime Museum, Kingston, New York, on Saturday, March 23 at 2 p.m. in the classroom at the Wooden Boat School. Seating is limited – click here!
* * * * *
Candace was the US Lighthouse Society historian from 2016 until she passed away in August 2018. For 30 years, her work involved lighthouse history. She worked with the National Park Service and the Council of American Maritime Museums. She was a noted author and was considered the most knowledgable person on lighthouse information at the National Archives. Books by Candace Clifford include: Women who Kept the Lights: a History of Thirty-eight Female Lighthouse Keepers , Mind the Light Katie, and Maine Lighthouses, Documentation of their Past.
Grays Harbor might have more success if they would reply to their email. I plan to visit a couple of years ago and was trying to set up a time I could climb and was willing to make a donation for their time. I did NOT receive a reply.
How may I get a job as a lighthouse caretaker? Whom do I need to contact?
There are no more lighthouse keepers in the traditional sense, but there are a few lighthouse caretaker positions around the country. Some are volunteer positions and some pay a small stipend. I suggest you scan the listings for lighthouses around the U.S. on the Lighthouse Directory at https://www.ibiblio.org/lighthouse/ and you might find some opportunities.