Chesapeake Chapter USLHS Fundraiser

Ice at the Lighthouse!

We took our first trip of the year out to the lighthouse on February 20th to see how she was faring with this harsh and snowy winter. We were delighted to find a little bit of ice and snow remaining on the rip-rap boulders and a bit on one of the steel base frame I-beams on the northern shady side as well. But that was about it. The roof and the dock are quite white, but it’s mostly not from snow or ice – it’s a combination of salt spray and bird guano. Our bird deterrent was out of commission for a couple of months as we made some repairs and charged up the battery. But she’s back in action now. Our thanks to our friends at Bird Gard, LLC for their continued support.

White House Designates U.S. Lighthouse Society a “Preserve America Steward”

On January 12, 2009, First Lady Laura Bush, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) Chairman John L Nau, III announced that the United States Lighthouse Society was officially designated and recognized as a Preserve America Steward for its exemplary volunteer efforts to care for the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse!

Preserve America is a White House initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our nation’s heritage. Scarlett and Nau co-chair Preserve America. Mrs. Bush serves as Honorary Chair of Preserve America since its inception in March 2003.

To learn more about the program, please go to their website and the press release.

The letter from the White House and signed by Mrs. Bush is shown here. It reads: “Congratulations on the designation of the United States Lighthouse [Society] as a Preserve America Steward! The preservation of our historical and cultural resources honors our nation’s rich heritage. President Bush and I applaud your achievement. Your volunteer efforts inspire our fellow Americans and set a great example for communities around the country. Thank you for your enthusiastic participation in the Preserve America initiative.”

Clearly this is quite an honor for the Society, for its Chesapeake Chapter, and, most of all, for all of our volunteers and friends that have generously given so much of their time, enthusiasm, talents and skills to preserve our beloved Chesapeake Bay icon and National Historic Landmark. We still have more work to do, but we are extremely proud of our accomplishments since our partnership took over ownership and management of the lighthouse in 2004. We are very grateful to all of you who contributed in one way or another to make this award possible.

VIEW ACTUAL LETTER FROM THE FIRST LADY

Wedding Bells at Lighthouse!

On July 4 th, Sally Ward and Phillip Walker, both of Annapolis, exchanged their wedding vows at the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse, in front of Reverend Pamela Shipley and a few family members and friends. To our knowledge, this was the first-ever wedding at the lighthouse, but hopefully not the last. Although the morning started with some drizzle, the sun befittingly broke through as we arrived and boarded the lighthouse. After a quick tour, the group headed up to the lantern gallery for the short and lovely ceremony. Congratulations to Phil and Sally! If you are interested in having a small wedding ceremony, a surprise engagement, or other type of special event at our special lighthouse, please contact Lighthouse Manager Henry Gonzalez at tpsl@cox.net for more information.

Amazing Lighthouse Replica

Gary Gillette, a model-making hobbyist who specializes in replicas of historic buildings, spent over 300 hours making an amazingly authentic 1/48 th scale model of Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse, and then donated it to the U.S. Lighthouse Society. To support his efforts, Gary was given full access to our archive of historic drawings and photographs, and he visited the lighthouse a couple of times to ascertain certain details for the replica. The details he replicated are amazing: conduits and pipes under the cottage, every little U.S. Coast Guard junction box on the roof and dormers, the fog detector sensors sticking out of one of the 2 nd story windows, etc. Gary is both an architect and an engineer, so needless to say, he is very meticulous in his craft and hobby, and it shows! The replica sits in an acrylic case that measures 26 inches square by 20 inches high. Eventually, it will be on display at the Annapolis Maritime Museum, but for now it will be shown at special events. This was Gary’s first lighthouse, but probably not his last. He is currently working on a replica of a Frank Lloyd Wright house. Gary, thanks very much for your passion and for this beautiful donation!

TPS Lighthouse Keeper Photos

These are the first photos we have encountered of a TPS lighthouse keeper actually on board of the lighthouse! The photos are of Assistant Keeper Earl C. Harris (standing alone by one of the boat davits) and of Principal Keeper Henry F.G. Bryant, Asst Keeper Harris and two friends. The two images, taken in 1939 or 1940, were given to the U.S. Lighthouse Society by Wayne Harris, a nephew of Asst. Keeper Harris. Previous news items on this website included a photo of Principal Keeper Bryant and his wife posing ashore for their 50 th wedding anniversary, which were provided to us by his grandsons, Bob & Bill Bryant. Asst. Keeper Harris was Principal Keeper Bryant’s son-in-law, which makes Wayne Harris and Bob & Bill Bryant sort of “related” by marriage, although they did not know each other until we connected them. Thank you, Wayne!