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It has certainly been a challenging year for Lighthouse Digest, but also one that has inspired. The positive wishes, support and input from so many made us recognize that Lighthouse Digest is much more than a magazine . . . it is a community. And, including two double issues, we are back on track and moving forward!
For over three decades, Tim Harrison was not only our leader but our visionary, whose passion for preserving lighthouse history and the stories of the keepers who tended these iconic beacons guided us all. Thankfully, he wasn’t alone in this mission. The dedicated team here at Lighthouse Digest is fully committed to carrying on his legacy, ensuring that the history of lighthouses and their keepers will always be remembered.
Through the years, Lighthouse Digest has evolved into a vital platform, devoted to documenting and sharing the remarkable stories of those who lived and worked in these often remote and dangerous places. With each issue, we celebrate not just the structures, but the human spirit that defined life around lighthouses—a history of resilience, service, and connection to the world.
Today, as we look toward the future, the values and vision that we have always imparted to this publication remain as relevant and powerful as ever.
Preserving Lighthouses: More Than Stone and Brick
At Lighthouse Digest, we are driven by the understanding that preserving a lighthouse is about more than maintaining a structure—it’s about preserving history itself. By doing so, we not only honor the past but also inspire a new generation. The loss of these landmarks would be a blow not only to our maritime history but to our collective cultural memory.
The Legacy of Lighthouse Keepers
Our main mission has always been to ensure that the stories of lighthouse keepers and their families are remembered. Lighthouse keepers led lives marked by solitude, dedication, and at times, danger. Whether through harsh winters, violent storms, or the isolation of remote islands, they kept their lights burning to guide mariners safely. Driven by a deep sense of duty, these keepers weren’t just performing a job—they were protecting lives.
Lighthouse Digest has documented and published the experiences of lighthouse keepers and their families; preserving this history for the future. This mission will continue. We remain dedicated to rediscovering this lost history of lighthouse keepers, preserving their stories through historical research, and ensuring that their contributions are remembered.
The Future of Lighthouse Digest
As we move forward, Lighthouse Digest will continue to evolve while staying true to our original vision. Our editorial direction will expand to include new topics that are increasingly relevant to the survival of lighthouses in the modern age. Rising tides, coastal erosion, and frequent severe storms are now very real threats to many of the structures we’ve worked so hard to protect. In response, we will be expanding our focus to include not just the history of lighthouses but also their future.
Our team is committed to deepening regional research efforts, partnering with local historians and lighthouse societies to provide diverse, up-to-date content. The magazine will strive to adapt to new challenges, particularly in a world where these challenges threaten many of the very lighthouses we seek to save. Additionally, we’ll continue to cover restoration efforts, spotlight success stories, and continue to tell the stories of lighthouse keepers.
At its heart, Lighthouse Digest remains a labor of love—driven by passion, fueled by history, and dedicated to ensuring that lighthouses and the stories of those who cared for them endure.
As we head into the new year, please keep us informed on events and lighthouse stories happening at your lighthouses and your own personal and family stories of lighthouse keepers in your family. We count on you our readers to keep us informed. Let’s all do our part to keep their light shining into the future.
Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good light!
Kathleen Finnegan-Harrison
Editor & Publisher
Lighthouse Digest
This story appeared in the
Nov/Dec 2024 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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