Light Hearted 231 – National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act and the GSA; National Lighthouse Day Dance Contest

06/25/23 • 53 min

The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, or NHLPA, was created to aid the preservation of federally owned historic light stations. The NHLPA program is a partnership that includes the Coast Guard, the National Park Service, and the General Services Administration, or GSA. The NHLPA allows lighthouse properties to be transferred at no cost to federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofit corporations, or educational and community development organizations. Sonia Allon-Singh Anthony Barbati Kevin Legare Kevin Legare, Sonia Allon-Singh and Anthony Barbati are realty specialists for the GSA, working out of the GSA’s New England Region offices in Boston. All three of them are involved with the lighthouse properties that are currently up for transfer. Joe Rivers The U.S. Lighthouse Society is holding a National Lighthouse Day Dance Contest this summer, and Joe Rivers has written and performed an original song for the occasion. Click here for more details. Joe is interviewed in this episode about his ideas behind the song.

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Light Hearted ep 230 – Lake Erie Lighthouses of Pennsylvania; Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, Illinois

Erie Land Lighthouse, photo by Brian Berchtold. There are three lighthouses on the Lake Erie shore within the state of Pennsylvania. The first of the three, Erie Land Lighthouse, was erected to mark the entrance to Presque Isle Bay. It has the distinction of being the earliest commissioned light station on the American side of the Great Lakes. The present 49-foot tower was built in 1867 of Berea sandstone. Erie Harbor North Pierhead Light, photo by Brian Berchtold. Presque Isle Light Station, photo by Brian Berchtold. Averie Shaghnessy-Comfort Presque Isle Lighthouse began service in 1873, and Erie Harbor North Pierhead Light has stood since 1940. All three of these lighthouses are now managed by the Presque Isle Light Station, also known as Lake Erie Lights of Pennsylvania, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preserving these historic structures, educating the community on their value, and interpreting them for future generations. Averie Shaughnessy-Comfort, interviewed in this episode, is the executive director of the Presque Isle Light Station. The 66-foot tall cast-iron Chicago Harbor Lighthouse began service in 1893 to help guide shipping traffic in and out of the busy harbor. A new organization, Friends of Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, has been formed to preserve the historic structure. In this episode the organization's president, Kurt Lentsch, is interviewed by Ralph Krugler. Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, photo by Jeremy D'Entremont.

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Light Hearted ep 232 – North Head Lighthouse, Washington

The first lighthouse in the Pacific Northwest was established in 1856 on the north side of the entrance to the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment, in the state of Washington. High land blocked the view of the light from the north, so Congress appropriated funds for a second lighthouse at North Head, just two miles north of Cape Disappointment. North Head Lighthouse, a 65-foot-tall brick tower with a sandstone base, began service in 1898 with its light 194 feet above the water. North Head Lighthouse, courtesy of Washington State Parks In 2012, Washington State Parks took ownership of North Head Light Station, which is within Cape Disappointment State Park. The lighthouse has undergone a major restoration in recent years. The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center stands high on the cliffs of the state park, and on display in the center is a first-order Fresnel lens that served in both of the local lighthouses at different times. The first-order Fresnel lens on display in the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Photo by Jeremy D'Entremont. Stephen Wood is an exhibit project specialist, and Alex McMurry is a historic preservation planner for Washington State Parks.