Ribbon cutting for new Lighthouse Park in Marquette, MI
Marquette City Mayor Fred Stonehouse performed the official ribbon cutting Thursday on Marquette’s newest park, officially named Lighthouse Park. “This is a wonderful park for the people in the City of Marquette. It really is a prime piece of property. . . . It’s a place for people to come and enjoy not only the view, but the sense of history of being here,” Stonehouse said.
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New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge Celebrates 20th Anniversary, October 19-20
The New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge will celebrate its 20th anniversary October 19 and 20. The goal of people participating in the Challenge is to visit 11 of the state’s lighthouses or light towers, plus additional attractions as well, over the two days.
Click here for the official page for the Challenge
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Improvements slated for Presque Isle (PA) Lighthouse
A $45,000 roof project is scheduled for the spring following $80,000 of lighthouse improvements this season at Presque Isle Lighthouse in Erie, Pennsylvania. A $60,000 masonry project involved power washing the structure’s brick and stone, and repointing, or filling in the gaps between bricks with new mortar. Years of paint, mold and black acid rain buildup have been removed, and the brick has been restored to its original terra cotta color.
$45,000 is earmarked for a project set to begin in the spring involving the installation of a new roof on the building’s living quarters, new copper gutters and new copper flashing.
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Renovations at East Chop Lighthouse (MA)
Photo by Jeremy D’Entremont
Repairs are underway this fall at the East Chop Lighthouse on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The work is being done by International Chimney, the Buffalo-area contractor that relocated the Gay Head Lighthouse on the same island in 2015. The project includes repairing the lighthouse lantern deck and its 12 support brackets as well as fixing stair supports and leaky sashes and replacing cracked windows. The lighthouse renovation is being funded entirely by Community Preservation Act funds. The Marthas Vineyard Museum is overseeing the project.
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New future for Beaver Island Lighthouse (MI)
Charlevoix County and Networks Northwest have entered into a partnership to buy the historic Beaver Island Lighthouse School property. The sale includes 171 acres of property, the lighthouse, 1,400 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline, and 11 total buildings. The Beaver Island Lighthouse, also known as the Beaver Head Light Station, is one of the oldest lighthouses on the Great Lakes. The 46-foot cylindrical tower was built in 1858.
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Vandalism at Peggys Cove (NS, Canada)
One of Canada’s most iconic lighthouses has been struck by vandalism, in the form of stickers, graffiti, and even a few people chipping off pieces of the foundation. “It’s awful,” said Peggy Pippy, proprietor of a nearby restaurant. “Peggys Cove is a landmark. Anybody that defaces any kind of property, whether it be rocks or a building, they should be punished to the fullest extent. It’s Peggys Cove! Why ruin that beauty?”
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Hundreds spend day restoring attractions, including Grand Traverse Lighthouse, at Leelanau State Park (MI)
For every vandal, there are countless volunteers making a positive impact. On Tuesday, about 300 people descended on Leelanau State Park — home of the Grand Traverse Lighthouse — to clean, paint, and build. In a matter of hours, the lighthouse, oil house, and gift shop were painted; shelves were built and historic artifacts were packed to transport to a new building; a playground was installed; an Americans with Disabilities Act trail was cleaned, a post and rope system installed and turned into an all-persons trail; and various other projects were accomplished.
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If you have items of interest to the lighthouse community and its supporters, please email them to Jeremy at Jeremy@uslhs.org
Jeremy D’Entremont is the author of more than 20 books and hundreds of articles on lighthouses and maritime history. He is the president and historian for the American Lighthouse Foundation and founder of Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses, and he has lectured and narrated cruises throughout the Northeast and in other regions. He is also the producer and host of the U.S. Lighthouse Society podcast, “Light Hearted.” He can be emailed at Jeremy@uslhs.org