Celebration of new owner of Duxbury Pier Lighthouse (MA)

On Saturday, September 14, the deed to Duxbury Pier Light Station, better known on Boston’s South Shore as “Bug Light,” was officially transferred to Project Gurnet & Bug Lights, Inc., from the U.S. Department of the Interior. Saturday’s celebration took place aboard the paddle-wheeler Pilgrim Belle, which circled the lighthouse while the Plymouth fire boat festively sprayed water. The transfer was made possible through the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act.

You can read more about this story in the Patriot Ledger

You can listen to an interview with Project Gurnet and Bug Light President Dolly Bicknell on the U.S. Lighthouse Society podcast Light Hearted here

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Friends of the Concord Point Lighthouse (MD) celebrate their 40th anniversary

For 40 years, members of the Friends of Concord Point Lighthouse have been managing and taking care of the city of Havre de Grace’s “most iconic symbol,” according to Mayor William T. Martin. On Monday night, September 16, on behalf of the city, he wished the Friends a happy birthday with a proclamation and a city flag.

The lighthouse will be open extended hours this weekend for the Maryland Lighthouse Challenge (see below).

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Maryland Lighthouse Challenge 2019 is this weekend, Sept. 21-22

The Challenge is a weekend-long event in which the general public is invited to visit the land-accessible lighthouses of Maryland. Complimentary souvenirs are given at each participating lighthouse, with a special souvenir for visiting all. The Challenge Lights include Choptank River Replica, Concord Point, Seven Foot Knoll, the Chesapeake Lightship, Hooper Strait, Cove Point, Drum Point, Point Lookout, Piney Point and Fort Washington.

Organized by the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society.

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Point Reyes (CA) renovation completed

After 14 months of work and $5 million spent, Point Reyes Lighthouse in West Marin County, California, is projected to reopen on October 1, according to the National Park Service.

Click here to read more

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Ontonagon Breakwater Light (MI) auction closes at $7500

A GSA auction for the Ontonagon Breakwater Light, under the guidelines of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, closed on September 17 for the unusually low amount of $7500. There were only two bidders. The identity of the high bidder is not known. The government reserves the right to reject the auction, so it’s possible another auction might be held later.

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Two woman swim to raise money for Isle au Haut Lighthouse (ME)

Alison Richardson and Molly Siegel recently finished their swim around the Maine island of Isle Au Haut with the goal of raising money toward the restoration of the island’s historic lighthouse.

In just two months, these women were able to complete their swim and raise more than the $18,000 goal they set on their Gofundme campaign.

Click here to read more

Click here for the GoFundMe page

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Maritime historian Eric Jay Dolin featured on the next “Light Hearted”

The next episode of Light Hearted, the U.S. Lighthouse Society’s podcast, will featured an in-depth interview with the award-winning historian/author Eric Jay Dolin, author of Brilliant Beacons: A History of the American Lighthouse. This is one you definitely won’t want to miss. Watch for it on Monday.

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U.S. Lighthouse Society News is produced by the U.S. Lighthouse Society to support lighthouse preservation, history, education and research. You can receive these posts via email if you click on the “SUBSCRIBE” button in the right-hand column. Please support this electronic newsletter by joining the U.S. Lighthouse Society if you are not already a member.

If you have items of interest to the lighthouse community and its supporters, please email them to Jeremy at Jeremy@uslhs.org