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Deteriorating Lighthouse
We’re not sure what the story might have been about that was associated with this 1984 aerial news photo of the Stratford Shoal Lighthouse that sits in waters of Long Island Sound midway between Long Island, New York and Connecticut. Because of its location, the lighthouse is also known as the Middle Ground Lighthouse. Officially established on December 15, 1877, the lighthouse, near Bridgeport, Connecticut, was automated in 1970 and abandoned to the elements. From the looks of the roof and the condition of the lighthouse at that time, perhaps the photo was published to show recent storm damage or the deterioration of what was once an elegant-looking light station. In 2016, under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, ownership of the lighthouse was awarded to Korstad Marine Preservation Society, who reportedly had plans to eventually restore it.
Half-Staff at Alcatraz
This official U.S. Coast Guard media photograph, now in the archives of Lighthouse Digest, shows the flag at half-staff at California’s Alcatraz Lighthouse on May 15, 1945 just moments before it was raised to full-staff after the national period of mourning had officially ended for the death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Since April 12, 1945 flags at all government facilities were ordered to be flown at half-staff. The lighthouse keeper can be seen looking up at the flag, perhaps in a moment of personal reflection, before he would walk over and raise the flag to full-staff. Photos like this are of great historical significance that Lighthouse Digest is working to save for future generations.
If We Only Had a Time Machine
The only identifying writing on this early 1900s photo showing a lady with a parasol on the beach is the words “Bristol Pier.” Because of the pier itself, we are pretty confident that this photo was taken at Ocean Park in Santa Monica, California. At some point, more than likely, the faux lighthouse at the end of the pier was demolished or burned in one of the fires that occurred there. But, that’s all speculation on our part, and until someone invents a time machine, we may never know that answer.
Happy Lobstering
Lighthouses have always been popular subjects among some of nation’s more prominent artists as shown here in this painting of Maine’s 1852 Whitehead Island Lighthouse titled Happy Lobstering by Andrew Winter (1892-1958). Mr. Winter is best known for his landscape paintings of the coast of Maine, including lighthouses. We hope to have a story about Andrew Winter and his artwork in a future edition of Lighthouse Digest.
School Teacher Caretaker
In 1987, after having been owned by a private family since 1914, the 1868 Sheffield Island Lighthouse was purchased by the Norwalk Seaport Association in Norwalk, Connecticut, so that it could be made available to the general public. In looking for a caretaker, they settled on Bill Benton, a local math teacher and recently divorced father of three grown daughters. Benton’s job included greeting the 50 visitors a day, who had to provide their own transportation and get tickets ahead of time that allowed them to visit the island. Because there was no running water or electricity on the island, Benton would take one day a week off to go to his apartment on the mainland for a hot shower. This previously unpublished photo of Bill Benton at Sheffield Island Lighthouse was taken on July 12, 1987.
New Beam for Eddystone
This original British Government photo, now in the archives of Lighthouse Digest, was issued on May 13, 1959 to promote the 600,000-candlepower optic that was just installed in the lighthouse tower that is located on the coast of Devon County in southwest England. The photo shows the former Eddystone Lighthouse tower built by John Smeaton in 1759, which after standing for more than a century on the wave-swept Eddystone Rocks, was removed and re-erected on the mainland at Plymouth Hoe. The lighthouse is now more commonly referred to as the Smeaton Tower.
Avery Point Parade Float
Shown here is a parade float used by Connecticut’s Avery Point Lighthouse Society during the 100th anniversary celebration parade in 2003 of the City of Groton to promote the society’s efforts to restore and relight the Avery Point Lighthouse. Some 19 years later, Jim Streeter, who was chairman of the City’s celebration committee, and also a founding member of the Avery Point Lighthouse Society, still has this model of the now-restored lighthouse.
The Lens at Two Lights
Kate Dophiede, girlfriend of a young Coastguardsman, is shown here in the lantern of Maine’s Cape Elizabeth Two Lights around 1977. She appears to have been there to help him clean the lens. This photo is considered rare because close-up photos of this lens are hard to come by and the lens was removed from the lantern many years ago. The lens is now on display as an interpretive exhibit at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine.
Lighthouse Barbecue No. 10
This old post card shows life during a very different and perhaps wonderful time in history at the Lighthouse Barbecue No. 10 in Valparaiso, Indiana. This unique business was a forerunner of the modern gas stations of today. It had a general store, as well as a dining room. We’d like to learn more it about and locate additional photographs of it. If you can help, please email us at Editor@LighthouseDigest.com.
1940 Christmas Greetings
During the Christmas season of 1940, Evelyn Hopkins, wife of lighthouse keeper Edward H. Hopkins of Ten Pound Island Lighthouse in Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts, wanted to do something special for Edward Rowe Snow, the Flying Santa of the Lighthouses who dropped Christmas presents from a plane for lighthouse keepers’ children. She spread newspapers on the ground and secured them in place, spelling out the words “MERRY CHRISTMAS” that could be read from the sky. Edward Rowe Snow was so impressed that he took a photo from the plane and immediately delivered it to the Associated Press upon the conclusion of his flight. The next day, Edward, Jr., the Hopkins’ teenage son who attended school in Gloucester, purchased a Boston paper and rowed back to Ten Pound Island. When Edward, Jr. put the paper down on the kitchen table, keeper Hopkins and his wife were astounded to see that a picture of their island home and its Christmas greeting, which had been taken just hours earlier, was on the front page of the newspaper. Sadly, after Ten Pound Island Lighthouse was decommissioned in 1956, its keeper’s house and most of its out-buildings were demolished, leaving only a lonely lighthouse tower. Today, the restored tower is painted white.
Lens in Place at Rock of Ages
Noted newspaper photographer Charles Eshbach took this photo in June of 1971 while he was a passenger on a ship that passed close to Michigan’s 1908 Rock of Ages Lighthouse which is just east of Isle Royale in Lake Superior. You will notice, by the accompanying close-up photo, that the 2nd order Fresnel lens was still in the lantern during that time when the lighthouse was still staffed by Coast Guard keepers. Seven years later, in 1978, the lighthouse was automated and its keepers were removed. In 1985, the giant lens was removed from the tower and is now on display at the Windigo Visitors Center in Isle Royale National Park. In 2008, the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society was formed to restore the lighthouse.
This story appeared in the
Jan/Feb 2022 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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