Mike Vogel retired as editorial page editor of The Buffalo News in 2011, after a 41-year journalism career that included three decades as a reporter and feature writer. Mike was the organizer and founding president of the Buffalo Lighthouse Association, which began restoration of Buffalo, New York’s historic 1833 lighthouse in 1985. Mike’s work at the local level soon led to efforts for the national lighthouse preservation movement. After launching and completing the first compilation of surviving American Fresnel lenses, he served on the National Lighthouse Museum steering committee and its site selection committee.
Mike was elected as the first First Vice President of the American Lighthouse Coordinating Committee, and then was elected to the ALCC presidency. Mike is also the author or co-author of five books on maritime history as well as Buffalo and Niagara Falls local history, including Harboring History: The Heritage Behind Buffalo’s 200-Year-Old Overnight Success.
In 2007, the U.S. Lighthouse Society honored Mike with its prestigious F. Ross Holland Award recognizing his exceptional contributions to lighthouse preservation. Mike is a longtime board member and has been president of the U.S. Lighthouse Society since 2020.
Thanks to Jim Malone and John Hopp for all their help with the trip to New York.
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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
Say, I really enjoy your podcasts! I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the Stannard Rock Lighthouse – the most remote Lighthouse in North America, and nicknamed “the loneliest place in North America” – on Lake Superior 30+ miles off of the Kewanee? I was wondering if you might be interested in doing an episode on it. Lots of history, unique stories, tragedy, it kind of has it all! I’m a volunteer with the Superior Watershed Partnership, the current custodians. I can connect you to them along with Fred Stonehouse. He is a Great Lakes Historian and is a wealth of knowledge and story regarding Stannard Rock. Thoughts?
Hi Anthony – Thanks for your post, glad you enjoy the podcast. Great idea about Stannard Rock and, in fact, it’s already been done. See https://news.uslhs.org/2021/11/14/light-hearted-ep-147-carl-lindquist-and-frederick-stonehouse-stannard-rock-michigan/. Carl Lindquist and Fred Stonehouse were the guests. I also met Fred and interviewed him again at the Marquette Maritime Museum last April.