Preservation work restores charm and romance of Nauset Light, Massachusetts
Jeremiah Berube was on an aerial lift 40 feet in the air removing rust from Nauset Light on Cape Cod on Thursday. An angle grinder in hand, the wire wheel whirring away years of accumulated rust, Berube could see miles out to sea, and the lay of the coastal land around him.
He worked just below the level of the lighthouse that was temporarily shut down while restoration work continues. His was an unparalleled view. To the east was the glistening ocean, the rolling undulations of the water coming in waves towards the beach.
* * *
$5.2 Million For Point Betsie Lighthouse (MI)
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer approved a nearly $70 billion state budget this week. $5.2 million was allocated in funding for renovation work at Point Betsie Lighthouse in Frankfort.
* * *
Agreement reached on St. George Reef Lighthouse (CA)
Following a year-long lapse of a lease agreement and other necessary approvals, the St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society is one fog-horn signal away from being able to pursue continued renovations, and COVID-19 willing, helicopter-accessed tours of the historic landmark.
In June of this year, the preservation society reached an agreement for a $300, 25-year lease with the county of Del Norte to oversee the lighthouse. The new lease piggybacks a previous lease from 1995, which had expired a year ago. The remote lighthouse sits six miles off the coast of Point St. George and three miles southeast of Crescent City.
* * *
A fall festival and lighthouse fun in Montauk, NY
The Montauk Chamber of Commerce’s 40th Fall Festival, two days of food, live music, and fun for the kids, will be held on the downtown green on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Montauk Lighthouse will also be hopping over the holiday weekend. The Lighthouse museum, grounds, and gift shop will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Columbus Day.
* * *
Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival (OH) tomorrow
Ohio’s Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival is set to return for its 25th annual celebration, bouncing back after last year’s hiatus due to COVID-19. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and feature family activities hosted at Lakeside Chautauqua, the Marblehead Lighthouse, the historical Wolcott House, and downtown shops.
* * *
Maryland lighthouse keepers honored
Two lighthouse keepers were honored on Saturday, Sept. 25, by the Chesapeake Chapter of the U. S. Lighthouse Society. The chapter installed U.S. Lighthouse Service markers at the graves of William Matthew Yeatman and his son, William Yeatman. Each keeper was individually honored at a graveside ceremony.
William Yeatman Sr. 
William Yeatman Jr.
William Matthew Yeatman served for 37 years, from 1871 to 1908, at Point Lookout Lighthouse, passing away in 1908 while still serving as the keeper. He was the longest Lighthouse Service keeper at Point Lookout Lighthouse. His son, William Yeatman, served at the Smith Creek Beacon, Point No Point Lighthouse, Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, Drum Point Lighthouse, Piney Point Lighthouse and Point Lookout Lighthouse. He retired in 1939 after 35 years of service.
Click here for more information
Chesapeake Chapter of the USLHS
* * *
Ned’s Point Lighthouse (MA) reopens for tours after two years
Ned’s Point Lighthouse in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, has reopened for tours. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 63 discovered there was lead in the lamp room of the lighthouse in 2019, closing the lighthouse to educational tours — a popular pastime for tourists and locals alike.
After painting the light room walls, refurbishing the floors, repainting the cupola, and adding new doors, Auxiliary Flotilla 63 will begin scheduled tours on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. starting Oct. 9. Additional special events are planned for the weekends of Halloween and Christmas.
* * *
“Split Rock Stories By Candlelight” (MN)
Split Rock Lighthouse located South of Silver Bay is one of the most photographed spots in the state of Minnesota. With its breathtaking views of the mammoth cliffs and Lake Superior below it is no wonder that it is a major tourist attraction.
This Saturday, October 9, 6 to 8 p.m., there will vbe a special event called “Split Rock Stories By Candlelight.” Guests are encouraged to dress for the weather and to bring a flashlight. You will hear six different stories of what life was like at Split Rock back in the day. Each tour is limited to 20 people and face masks are required. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time here. Hurry the tours are almost sold out!
* * *
Work to restore Whitehaven’s iconic lighthouses (England) on track
Phase one of the £144,000 work to restore Whitehaven’s two iconic 19th century lighthouses (on England’s west coast) to their former glory has been completed. CRS Facility Management began work in August. So far they have sandblasted the layers of rust, dust, and sand from the metalwork on the West Pier Lighthouse and stripped old paint from the masonry. The lighthouse on the west pier was completed in 1839 and the north pier’s was built two years later.
* * *
Hudson-Athens Lighthouse (NY) enthusiasts and boat clubs celebrate partnership
Commodore Joe Rey of the Mohawk-Hudson Council of Yacht Clubs presented $900 to the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society (HALPS) on Sept. 25. The event was the annual party sponsored by the Hudson Power Boat Association (HPBA) and HALPS to celebrate their longtime partnership in support of the lighthouse.
* * *
Browns Point Lighthouse (WA) celebrated with rededication event on Oct. 17
When Browns Point Lighthouse opened its elegant, square-edged structure in June 1933, the community joined in the festivities. Ladies wore floral dresses, men sported straw boaters, the Stadium High School band perched on the steps with horns and a sousaphone. Behind them a tall, newly built Art Deco lighthouse shone bright in the sunlight.
Similar festivities will replay Oct. 17, as the still-working lighthouse celebrates nearly 90 years of existence – and a big makeover. The restoration project cost $150,000 and prompted generous in-kind donations to bring back key architectural and aesthetic elements that make this beloved lighthouse so distinct.
* * *
Huron Island Lighthouse Preservation Association (MI) holds successful fundraiser
The Huron Island Lighthouse Preservation Association, a volunteer group working in cooperation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, held a fundraiser at the Landmark Inn in Marquette, Michigan, on Sept. 25.
Generous monetary donations of $20,000 from the Holman Family Foundation and $1,000 from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Ojibwa Casinos, along with proceeds from the silent auction, will help HILPA meet high-priority preservation goals for the next season.
* * *
Lightship Columbia (OR) heading out for repairs
The Lightship Columbia, the largest exhibit at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon, will temporarily close to visitors starting on Tuesday.
* * *
U.S. Lighthouse Society News is produced by the U.S. Lighthouse Society to support lighthouse preservation, history, education and research.
If you have items of interest to the lighthouse community and its supporters, please email them to Jeremy D’Entremont at Jeremy@uslhs.org
U.S. Lighthouse Society Historian Jeremy D’Entremont is the author of 24 books and hundreds of articles on lighthouses and maritime history. He is a past president of 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’s weekly podcast, “Light Hearted.” He can be emailed at Jeremy@uslhs.org