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Let’s switch gears a little and focus on a few of the 122 Michigan Lighthouses. One of the reasons we are able to enjoy these majestic pieces of history is because of thousands of volunteers that have joined forces to save the lights. In some cases they have done remarkable jobs of not just saving the lighthouse from ruin, but often they have done a marvelous job in refurbishing the light to their days of glory. This week I’m going to keep you guessing for a bit while giving you some clues and telling you a bit about the light. A light was first built near this light but was built on shore in 1847, and it was rebuilt in 1861. When the Soo Locks were built ship, traffic increased dramatically. The existing structure was built in 1931, making it one of the last lights to be built on the Great Lakes. Do you have a guess yet????????? Constructed on a crib in a manner similar to that employed at Spectacle Reef, the "Art Deco" style tower was constructed of steel reinforced concrete. Perched atop the sixty-three foot tower, the Third and a half order Fresnel lens , creating a focal plane of seventy-four feet, and was visible from far out in the Lake. courtesy of http://terrypepper.com So now you know this light is an offshore lighthouse. Got a guess yet????? Did you know that this is the only lighthouse that is offshore here in Michigan, where you can be a visiting lighthouse keeper? A boat will take you out to the light, drop you off, show you the ropes, and leave. After your assigned days of service, and when weather allows, members of the preservation group will come to take you back to solid ground. Rather than simply giving you the answer, I’ll make you work a little, click on this link to find the correct answer, and if you like what you see here, become a fan of our lighthouse page. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150413202515268.625127.10150129796685268&type=3
Now on to a weeks worth of lighthouse news; Past the remote at a Newfoundland lighthouse inn; http://life.nationalpost.com/2012/05/20/past-the-remote-at-a-newfoundland-lighthouse-inn/Door County lighthouse tour guides visitors through 'America's castles'; http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120521/APC04/305210054/Door-County-lighthouse-tour-guides-visitors-through-America-s-castles-Raspberry Island Fire Not A Threat To Lighthouse; http://www.ashlandcurrent.com/article/12/05/22/raspberry-island-fire-not-threat-lighthouseFort Gratiot Lighthouse reopening after renovation; http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/fort-gratiot-lighthouse-reopening-after-renovation/4cc21e21e5624d6c9e51dcd38fcf23ccMcGulpin lighthouse reopening with upgrades; http://www.petoskeynews.com/news/featured/pnr-mcgulpin-lighthouse-reopening-with-upgrades-20120525,0,7028194.story
There’s a glance of this week’s happenings, check out our Lighthouse Central fan page and keep up on lighthouse news on a daily basis. http://www.facebook.com/jrltman Have a great Memorial Day and happy lighthouse hunting, Jerry Roach Read 67 Comments... >> Add new comment
It’s been a pretty busy week in the lighthouse world, and we promised to share some news and views from our winter tour so let’s get at it. Five Things You Need to Know Today: May 13 Snapshot: Shedding some light on beacon's Washington link Lighthouse keeper will remain in place at facility on Entrance Island Lighthouse Fights to Preserve Views Douglas County takes over 117-year-old landmark Eagle Bluff opens for summer season Point No Point Lighthouse Celebration Fort Gratiot Lighthouse reopening after renovation There you have a look at some of the news this past week. Simply click on the highlighted link to read the full stories.
One of our favorite stops on our winter lighthouse tour was to Cape Lookout. The lighthouse is the main focus of the island, but at one time there was also an active life saving station. I am often asked how sailors in the past and today know which lighthouse they are seeing off in the distance. There are several different characteristics such as the color of the light, the speed that the light rotates, and how often it flashes. Another distinguishing characteristic is sometimes the tower itself. The Cape Lookout light is a perfect example; because the four lights on the Outer Banks were so similar, the Lighthouse Board designed striking patterns for each to make them easily distinguishable. On April 14, Cape Lookout was painted with large checkers that appear as alternating black and white diamonds. Following the traditional day-mark aids to navigation, the black checkers are orientated north and south toward the shallow waters of the shoals and around the headlands, while the white checkers are orientated east and west facing the deeper waters of Raleigh’s Bay to the east and Onslow Bay to the west. See for yourself; click on the link and check out the photos.
Have a great day and happy lighthouse hunting, Jerry Roach Read 42 Comments... >> One of the benefits of writing, photographing, and traveling the country in search of these elusive lighthouses are the unexpected sights that we see and the events that we happen upon. The true story of how the second page for each lighthouse in our books came to be was a great example of this phenomenon. Way back in 2003, well it seems like such a long time ago, we were using film while digital was still evolving. Barb and I were not thrilled with the photos we had of the St. Joseph Lighthouse, so we decided to go back and shoot again. As we entered the city of St. Joseph, we could not help but notice a larger number of people mulling around town than was the norm. We had stumbled upon the Venetian Festival. We decided to stay for awhile; we had a blast. It didn’t take the proverbial rocket scientists to figure out that we needed to add a page to the book that highlighted annual events, fairs, and festivals. While we were at it we also made note of major attractions, museums, parks, and points of interest. To top it off we added contact numbers for Chambers and Visitors Bureaus. On our latest trip this past winter we traveled the east coast from the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse to Virginia Beach. Along the way we took the time to enjoy the areas near each light. Take a few moments to visit our photo gallery and enjoy the sights too. http://lighthousecentral.smugmug.com/Travel/East-Coast-Sights/22936287_KKM5Tc I will be sure to share more of the wonderful sights we were fortunate enough to enjoy while on this trip. Until then, happy lighthouse hunting. Jerry Roach Read 45 Comments... >> Today we continue our winter tour of the east coast. Earlier we pointed out that the Roanoke Lighthouses and there locations are often confused. Speaking of the Roanoke lighthouses, there are three of them, we were there as they were lifting the lighthouse up on to pilings in order to transfer the lighthouse to the end of the pier which was just rebuilt. Click on the link to see the photos. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151666934270268.848308.10150129796685268&type=3
Friday we will begin our visit to the Outer Banks, or OBX as the locals call it.
Happy lighthouse hunting, Jerry Roach Read 54 Comments... >> Happy Mother’s Day!!!!!! It’s also my wife Barb’s birthday, happy birthday Barbie. Here are some pictures of the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. Don’t be confused like many people do, this light is not located in Virginia, but rater North Carolina. We visited this lighthouse on our tour from Florida through Virginia this past April. Follow along as we highlight and inform you about some of our findings. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151666898460268.848305.10150129796685268&type=3 Read 35 Comments... >> I thought you may be interested in this video and interview. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxxEyW6-kOo
I will try my best to keep you updated and take you along on out lighthouse journeys. Read 38 Comments... >> Good morning, today is Sunday, March 4, the 64th day of 2012. There are 302 days left in the year. Here’s what happened on this date in history….. 1789 1826 1861 1902 1936 1960 1964
Here’s what’s been happening in the lighthouse world for the week 02/27 – 03/04 Between the Rivers: Discovering Maryland’s Estuarine Secrets. http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/life/between-the-rivers-discovering-marylands-estuarine-secrets-195998-all.htmlAction Report: Lakefront lighthouse construction starting. http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/Action-Report-Lakefront-Lighthouse-Construction-Starting-140617433.htmlWhite River Lighthouse curator leaving. http://www.whitelakebeacon.com/news/26790-white-river-lighthouse-curator-leaving Hillsboro Lighthouse to burn on, Historic landmark has shined since 1907. http://www.local10.com/news/Hillsboro-Lighthouse-to-burn-on/-/1717324/9145476/-/hyjlpcz/-/Pieces of our Past - LCIC first order Fresnel lens. http://www.chinookobserver.com/life/pieces-of-our-past---lcic-first-order-fresnel/article_7437e57c-626b-11e1-945e-001871e3ce6c.htmlThe fate of the Port Dover lighthouse “unknown” at this point. http://cd989.com/2012/02/the-fate-of-the-port-dover-lighthouse-unknown-at-this-point/Light up your day at Hook Lighthouse. http://www.newrossstandard.ie/news/light-up-your-day-at-hook-lighthouse-3033899.htmlSummerside petitions to keep lighthouse. http://www.journalpioneer.com/News/Local/2012-03-01/article-2912961/Summerside-petitions-to-keep-lighthouse/1Iconic Moray lighthouse to be switched off after 170 years. http://news.stv.tv/scotland/north/299496-iconic-moray-lighthouse-to-be-switched-off-for-170-years/Coquille River Lighthouse. http://coastexplorermagazine.com/features/1557-coquille-river-lighthouseViva St. Augustine! It's the Lighthouse Maritime Festival. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/travel/viva-st-augustine-its-the-lighthouse-maritime-festival-2212408.htmlPublic Invited to Annual Lighthouse Meeting. http://waldo.villagesoup.com/business/brief/community/public-invited-to-annual-lighthouse-meeting/488353Just a heads up…….. Our first book, The Ultimate Guide To West Michigan Lighthouses, which was released in 2005 and sold nearly 3,000 copies, will be out of print once the current inventory is sold out. There are NO plans to reprint at this time. Currently there are ONLY 15 copies held back for the general public. If interested you should act now!!!!! Click this link to visit our store and purchase now… http://www.lighthousecentral.com/index.php?option=com_tienda&view=products&filter_category=5&Itemid=39
Have a great week and happy lighthouse hunting, Jerry Roach Read 120 Comments... >> I couldn’t get last weeks blog to post, so better late that never…. Good morning!!!! Sorry we missed last week, had that favorite chore of everyone’s to finish; the taxes Today is Sunday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2012. There are 316 days left in the year. On this day in history...... 1831 1856 1878 1913 1945 1969 1985 Here’s what’s been happening in the lighthouse world. Click on the highlighted link for the whole story. Old Field lacks cash to fix lighthouse, http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/old-field-lacks-cash-to-fix-lighthouse-1.3506993 Semiahmoo Lighthouse served as beacon for cannery-bound ships, http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/02/06/2000216/semiahmoo-lighthouse-served-as.html The leaning lighthouse of Echo Park is back on a solid footing, http://www.theeastsiderla.com/2012/02/the-leaning-lighthouse-of-echo-park-is-back-on-a-solid-footing/ Heritage Canada Foundation Launches Campaign to Save Canada's Lighthouses, http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/918151/heritage-canada-foundation-launches-campaign-to-save-canada-s-lighthouses Grant Preserves St. Simon's Cottage, http://www.gpb.org/news/2012/02/08/grant-preserves-st-simons-cottage 2nd Annual Maine Lighthouse Museum Celebration Weekend, http://waldo.villagesoup.com/business/brief/museum/2nd-annual-maine-lighthouse-museum-celebration-weekend-save-the-date-july-27-29-2012-make-your-plan/484307 Willard Cook, Rock Island lighthouse keeper, http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20120212/COL03/702129999 Short lifespan of the Cape Northumberland Bay lighthouse, http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2012/02/09/3427097.htm?site=southeastsa The light's on but no one's home, http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2012/02/15/307731_news.html Point Bonita Lighthouse bridge work nears an end, http://www.marinij.com/sausalito/ci_19973830 Tall ships sail for sake of Tybee Island lighthouse, http://savannahnow.com/accent/2012-02-17/rich-wittish-tall-ships-sail-sake-tybee-island-lighthouse#.T0FrGXrheyJ Writer, photographer offers insight into N.E. lighthouses, http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_19994434
Have a wonderful week and happy lighthouse hunting, Jerry Roach Read 76 Comments... >> |
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