Saturday, September 30, at 4:00 p.m. EST (1:00 p.m. on the West Coast)
Our special guest for this presentation will be Theresa Levitt, a professor of history at the University of Mississippi. Her acclaimed book A Short Bright Flash told the fascinating story of Augustin Fresnel, the French physicist who changed the world with his invention of a revolutionary lighthouse lens in the 1820s.
Fresnel’s final words, on the occasion of his premature death at age 39, were that his only regret with dying young was that science had so much to offer on questions of the public good, and he wished he could have done more. Later, a group of prominent economists claimed that many early lighthouses had been successfully provided by a private market, and there was no need for the government to support them. This talk covers the central role that lighthouses played in the evolving notion of the “public good,” and the particular importance of Fresnel’s work in deciding the question.
The event is free. Advance registration is required.
You are invited to a Zoom event.
When: Sep 30, 2023 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this event:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the event.
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
Is it possible to purchase a copy of the recording? I work at Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, and I’d love to show this in our visitor center.
Hi Elizabeth – Please contact Jeremy at jeremy@uslhs.org. Thanks!