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Lighthouse News of the Week

News of the week October 20, 2022

It Doesn’t Get Much Creepier Than This Abandoned Lighthouse Hidden in Northern California

When you think of Northern California, it is hard to imagine areas that are abandoned and left for nature to reclaim due to the state’s high population, but it’s true. In fact, located in the King Range National Conservation area in Humboldt County is the Punta Gorda Lighthouse. This abandoned lighthouse in Northern California is not easy to reach and quite hidden. Plus, a visit may give you quite a fright.

Punta Gorda lighthouse, photo by Joyce Dixon

The Punta Gorda Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse constructed in 1912. It is no longer active and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

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Lake Michigan Lighthouse (IN) Lashed by Rough Waters

Waves lashed the shore of Lake Michigan on Wednesday, October 19, as the National Weather Service (NWS) warned of intensifying winds

Michigan City Pierhead, USLHS archives

Footage by Timeless Aerial Photography captured in western Michigan shows the intensity of the gale winds, which toppled portable toilets on the St Joseph lakeshore.

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Lorain Lighthouse (OH) unveils new holiday ornament

Oct. 20—The new Lorain Lighthouse holiday ornament is available.

Lorain West Breakwater lighthouse, USLHS archives

This year’s design is etched solid brass finished in 24-carat gold, with full color 2D design hand assembled and 100% made in the U.S.A., according to a news release.

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‘Haunting’ event coming to haunted Seul Choix Pointe (MI) lighthouse

GULLIVER — A Haunted Lighthouse is coming to a real haunted lighthouse, according to Gulliver Historical Society President Marilyn Fischer.

Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse, courtesy National Archives

The Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse in Gulliver is reported to be “the most haunted lighthouse on the Great Lakes,” said Fischer.

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Ocracoke (NC) lighthouse to shine for Lights On Afterschool

This year, the Ocracoke skyline will also shine with the lighting of the Ocracoke Lighthouse.

Ocracoke Lighthouse, photo by Amanda Haddox

Hyde 21st Century Community Learning Center Program will join the 23rd annual Lights On Afterschool celebrationa nationwide series of rallies for afterschool organized by the Afterschool Alliance, on Thursday, Oct. 20.

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Whales and researchers “whup” it up around Five Finger Lighthouse (AK)

The Sound Science Research Collective returned to Five Finger Lighthouse again in the summer of 2022. And earlier this month they shared some results from their 2019 field season in an online presentation for the Five Finger Lighthouse Society by Dr. Leanna Matthews, detailing their playback study with humpback whales.

Five Finger Island Lighthouse, photo by Anthony Melosci

“Usually when people think about whale song, they think about humpback song, but song is not the only thing they do. Song is produced on the breeding grounds, on those lower latitude breeding grounds, like in Hawaii,” said Dr. Matthews. “It’s only sung by males, in what scie…

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To the lighthouse: the Australian trek from Cape to Cape

The track connects two historic beacons on the wild south-western coast of Western Australia: guiding lights on a hike where the sea looms large.

Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, photo by Stuart Secastos wikimediacommons

“Always keep the ocean to your right and you won’t lose your way,” says track guide Hamish Gibson as he drops us off at Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, the starting point for our 124-kilometre walk along the Cape to Cape Track.

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Hook Head Lighthouse (Ireland) to offer up a devilishly good Samhain Festival this Halloween

Lantern-lead tours of the 800-year-old tower are not for the faint-hearted.

Hook Head lighthouse, photo by Ralph Eshelman

Halloween is just around the corner so make plans to discover the history and mystery of the 800-year-old Hook Lighthouse and celebrate a free traditional Samhain Festival from Saturday, October 29, to Monday, October 31.

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Farol da Ponta dos Rosais : On the cliffs of São Jorge Portugal in the Azores stand the remains of a lighthouse that was struck by a series of earthquakes. 

ALONG THE CLIFFS OF PONTA DOS Rosais on the northwestern coast of São Jorge stands what remains of Farol da Ponta dos Rosais (Ponta dos Rosais Lighthouse). Shortly after the lighthouse’s formal inauguration, the entire island was struck by an earthquake that caused widespread damage.

Farol dos Rosais lighthouse, courtesy wikimediacommons (public domain)

The lighthouse and its surrounding buildings were completed in 1958. The 27-meter (89-foot) tower was surrounded by a number of residential buildings to house lighthouse keepers and their families. By the time all of the lighthouse’s equipment was in place, it was considered the most technologically advanced lighthouse in Portugal.

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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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