He Bought a Lighthouse: Randy Polumbo won New York’s 1899 Orient Point landmark in a government auction and turned it into an artists’ retreat
Master builder and installation artist Randy Polumbo wasn’t exactly looking for a lighthouse, or at least that’s the way he tells it. “I was on a government website late at night looking for decommissioned fuel tanks,” he says. “I was going to make a weird garden out of those tanks. And I clicked on a large cylindrical item for $5,000 and it was the lighthouse.” For most people, none of that makes all that much sense. But for Polumbo, it was the perfect next challenge.
Podcast interview with Randy Palumbo:
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LED lighting unveiled at historic Verona Beach lighthouse (NY)
The New York Power Authority and New York State Canal Corporation unveiled the first lighting projects celebrating iconic infrastructure along New York State’s historic Erie Canal, in an announcement this week. The new lighting, through the state’s Reimagine the Canals initiative, is the first of several planned lighting projects to illuminate historic pieces of New York’s canalway infrastructure, both celebrating its history and inviting New Yorkers to enjoy the outdoor recreation and tourism opportunities that lie along the banks of the canal.
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Visit Cape May Lighthouse (NJ) on New Year’s Day
Start the year off with a fun family activity by visiting the Cape May Lighthouse, which will be open from 12 p.m.to 4 p.m. on January 1, 2022.
Cape May is known for their holiday fun, but it’s also worth visiting here on New Year’s Day. Take a brisk climb up the original cast-iron spiral stairway to the Watch Gallery at the top of the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse. Winter is the perfect time to make the climb to the top and you’ll get a great view of the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean, plus the surrounding nature trails of Cape May Point State Park. Plus, getting some exercise together as a family is a fun and healthy way to start the year!
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Daisy Day Hunt planned for Hook Lighthouse (Ireland) on St. Stephen’s Day
St. Stephen’s Day (December 26) is an occasion to commemorate the life of St Stephen, a Christian martyr. Hook Lighthouse is set to host a variety of traditional holiday events with a fun-filled St. Stephen’s Day featuring a traditional Daisy Day Hunt.
This is an age-old tradition, as Hook Lighthouse records show the old custom in the form of ‘Penny for a Daisy’ which was carried out by the children and large numbers of children collected the first flowers in 1943 and received pennies for them. The child who found the first daisy would win the hunt but lots of children would receive pennies from the families in the area.” This St. Stephen’s day will see the hunt take place and children receive chocolate treats for their efforts. Free afternoon entertainment will also be on offer and a treasure hunt will take place, plus there will be art workshops with resident artist Rose.
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Lonnie Lighthouse (Australia) is hosting a spectacular “Light Houseparty”
At the tip of the Bellarine Peninsula just 90 minutes from Melbourne and marking the dreamy entrance to Port Phillip Bay, the headland is dominated by the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse, which overlooks The Rip – a treacherous stretch of water where ships navigate the narrow gap between Point Lonsdale and Point Nepean.
Presented by Point Lonsdale Boardriders Club, Guts Touring, Borough of Queenscliffe, and Gage Roads Brew Co., the fourth Lighthouse Day Party will take over the iconic Point Lonsdale Boardriders Club with an epic lineup featuring local legends on Saturday, February 5, 2022.
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Fantasy of Lights at Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven, CT
Fantasy of Lights, presented by Goodwill of Southern New England, has become a holiday tradition for thousands of families. Now in its twenty-seventh year, the dazzling nighttime event supports Goodwill’s mission: to enhance employment, educational, social, and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities and other challenges.
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Tuckerton Seaport (NJ) Open for Winter Walks
Tuckerton Seaport is open for strolls along the decorated boardwalk on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays through Jan. 16. The gift shop inside the Tucker’s Island Lighthouse is also open for last-minute shopping!
The kids can enjoy outside reindeer games, a scavenger hunt and a “Cookie walk” on the nature trail (you supply the cookies). Make and take holiday crafts add to the fun.
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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.
If you have items of interest to the lighthouse community and its supporters, please email them to Jeremy D’Entremont 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