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Lighthouse News of the Week – February 18, 2022

Hunting Island Lighthouse (SC) is closed to the public

New stresses to the 163-year-old lighthouse at Hunting Island State Park were discovered during a routine inspection, with those areas of concern prompting its closure. It’s unclear when this popular attraction at South Carolina’s most popular state park 16 miles east of Beaufort will reopen, Park Manager Brandon Goff said. The park attracts more than a million visitors each year.

Hunting Island Lighthouse, South Carolina. USLHS photo by Ralph Eshelman.

How long the 136-foot-tall lighthouse will remain closed isn’t clear but it will be at least several months

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Efforts to restore Sabine Pass Lighthouse (LA)

Located in the marshlands, out of sight, sits the Sabine Pass Lighthouse, standing for well over a century and a half. It has survived Civil War battles, storm surges, and countless hurricanes.

Sabine Pass Lighthouse, Louisiana. USLHS photo by Mike and Carol McKinney.

“This is the first of three built like this, unfortunately, this is the last one left,” Andrew Tingler with the Cameron Preservation Alliance said. Just to repair the lighthouse’s stairwell will cost nearly $100,000. For an organization made up of volunteers with a love for history, Tingler said they’re relying on the community’s help.

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Jersey Proud: The changing of the Elbow Cross Lighthouse lightbulb (NJ)

Every so often a lightbulb needs changing. This one just so happens to be located in the middle of the Delaware Bay. Members of the Coast Guard Air Station in Atlantic City flew out last week to change the bulb in the Elbow Cross Lighthouse. The lighthouse has been in operation since 1910.

Elbow of Cross Ledge Light, New Jersey. USLHS photo by Mike and Carol McKinney.

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The Lighthouse of Alexandria and what can be seen today

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Yet it was lost to history until 1994 when it was rediscovered in 1994 by a team of French archaeologists looking for it in Alexandria’s Eastern Harbor. For hundreds of years, no one even knew where the Lighthouse once stood.

Ancient depiction of the Pharos of Alexandria (USLHS archives).

Today it is possible to see the ruins of the ancient lighthouse that have tumbled into the harbor by diving. One can discover not only the giant granite blocks believed to be the remnants of the Lighthouse of Alexandria but much more. 

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Trinity House gets green light for modernization at Inner Farne Lighthouse (England)

Trinity House had submitted a planning application seeking listed building consent for the works on the Inner Farne lighthouse. Its proposals include changing the light to a more efficient and reliable LED source, the removal and replacement of existing antennae, and the addition of an electrical point next to the main door.

Inner Farne Lighthouse, England. USLHS photo by Jeremy D’Entremont.

The Grade II listed structure was built in 1809 and is now owned by the National Trust.

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Couple locked inside St Mary’s Lighthouse (England) for six hours after staff goes home

A couple’s trip to take photographs at St Mary’s Lighthouse ended up in an emergency rescue after they were locked inside the attraction when staff went home without checking everyone had left. Grandparents Vera and Barry Singh visited the lighthouse in Whitley Bay at around 3 pm on Sunday, February 6, and had climbed to the top to get some shots of the stunning scenery. But when the Whickham couple came back down again just after 4pm they were shocked to discover staff and visitors had closed up and left for the day, locking them inside.

St. Mary’s Lighthouse, England. USLHS photo by Jeremy D’Entremont.

At 10 pm – after six hours of being stuck at the lighthouse – the pair were helped to safety by Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade.

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Mispillion Lighthouse replica (DE) gets a touchup

A replica of the Mispillion Lighthouse that’s the centerpiece of a Shipcarpenter Square home in Lewes, Delaware, is undergoing repairs to ensure it stands tall for decades to come. Pro Exteriors of Milton removed the lighthouse from the home Feb. 10, using a crane to lift the 4,700-pound structure onto a flatbed truck. It was transported to Diamond Fabrication in Seaford, where it will be repaired and portions will be rebuilt due to extensive water damage.

Early photo of Mispillion Lighthouse from the National Archives.

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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

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