James Streeter, co-Chairman for the Avery Point Lighthouse
Society – a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation, has provided the
following update on the 2005 progress realized at Avery Point…
Beginning in mid-August, after a hiatus of over a year
and eight months, work on the second phase of the restoration of the
Avery Point Lighthouse is in “full swing”.
The Joseph Gnazzo Company, Inc., of Vernon, CT, which
specializes in exterior stonework restorations, has been contracted to
do the work. This company comes highly recommended and its employees
are considered to be some of the best highly skilled restoration
craftsmen in the country.
Members of the Avery Point Lighthouse Society (APLS) have
visited the lighthouse on an almost daily basis to watch and
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
The Joseph Gnazzo Company coordinated the
new lantern being placed atop the light
document the various stages of work being accomplished.
Several significant aspects of the construction project have taken place
over the past six weeks and it is anticipated that the overall restoration
of the structure and the surrounding landscape will be completed by November
1st.
Almost immediately upon mobilizing to the site, workers for Gnazzo removed
the cast stone railings and marble balusters from the
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Avery Point Lighthouse receives its new
lantern on September 30, 2005
balustrade which surrounded the
wooden lantern room on the top of the tower. Replacement cast stone rails,
comprised of the same materials and texture as those removed, have been
fabricated and will be arriving on site within the next few weeks.
While the thirty-two marble balusters were
being removed from the balustrade, ten were found broken in half and another
ten or so had cracks or large voids which required attention. These
balusters were imported from Italy around the turn of the century and were
an important factor in having the lighthouse accepted for listing on the
National Register of Historic Places. Thus repair of these balusters
was extremely important.
A stone mason who specializes in the restoration of damaged stone was
brought on board and within one week had repaired and restored all of
the
balusters. The members of APLS who had witnessed the restoration process
were amazed that, even upon close inspection, it was extremely difficult to
detect any signs of the repairs. The only words to properly describe this
stage of the restoration would be “First Class”.
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
(L to R) Tom Pregman, Jim Streeter & Ron
Foster inside Avery Point Light
In the mean time, while the balusters were being repaired, other workers
were busy preparing the top of the tower to accommodate the newly duplicated
wooden lantern room. While removing the old materials from this area, roots
from vines, that had found their way to the top of the structure, were found
growing under the roofing materials. New blocks, matching those used to
replace the block on the main structure of the lighthouse, were used to
construct a three foot foundation on which the lantern would be attached.
Aluminum flashing was installed on the roof to prohibit future leaks and, of
course, to prevent the unwelcome growth of vegetation. All joints in the
flashing materials were welded together to insure proper seal and
stability. Again, “First Class”.
Work on the inside of the lighthouse has also been ongoing. The old
wiring, fixtures and various other miscellaneous items which had been
Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani
A construction worker gives direction to
the crane operator during the
lantern's reestablishment
attached to the walls over the years were removed. Once all of the
paint on the walls and ceilings was removed workers repaired several
cracks that were present on the cement surfaced inside walls. Workers
also installed framing for the custom made door and windows, which
should be arriving on site within the next few weeks. During the
last two weeks in September two very exciting and spectacular stages of the
restoration process took place.
On September 21st,the new replicated wooden lantern
room was loaded and secured onto the deck of the CHIEF, a work
boat barge at the West Mystic Wooden Boat Company in West Mystic, CT. For
those who were not aware, Steve Jones, who is the owner of the Boat Company
and a professor for the University of Connecticut at Avery Point, donated
the materials and labor needed to duplicate the original lantern room, which
had been removed from the lighthouse in late 2003. Incidentally, Steve is
also a former light keeper of the Harbor of Refuge in Delaware.
Early the next day, the CHIEF departed the West Mystic Boat Company and
transported the lantern room on a seven mile journey through
Fisher’s Island
Sound and Long Island Sound to the Shennecossett Yacht Club in Groton. On
board the CHIEF, and ensuring its safety, was Mark Robinson, the craftsman
who did most of the work building the lantern room, Steve Jones and other
workers from the boat company.
No one could have asked for better weather conditions during the
transport. Clear and bright blue skies, a very light southerly
breeze and extremely calm seas set the tone for the picturesque voyage.
The lantern room, under escort by a US Coast Guard high-speed
recovery/rescue boat and the City of Groton Police Boat,
Photo by Ron Foster
The lantern rides aboard the
Chief as it passes
Morgan
Point Lighthouse
was now receiving the attention it rightly deserved. Along the
way individuals standing on the shoreline and boaters could be seen taking
photographs of this historic site. Newspaper reporters were documenting the
event while they traveled on boats along side the transport. A news
helicopter hovered above for some time while following the route of travel.
Yes, a “First Class” operation.
Upon arrival at the Shennecossett Yacht Club, which neighbors the property
on which the lighthouse is located, the lantern room was off
Photo by Ron Foster
Stephen Jones and his son Geoffrey played
instrumental roles in the lantern project
loaded from the CHIEF, place on a flatbed trailer and transported
approximately a quarter mile to the lighthouse site. Planning
immediately began to schedule lifting and securing the lantern room on top
of the lighthouse the following week.
On September 30th the long awaiting historical event of lifting
and securing the replicated lantern room on top of the lighthouse took place
without a hitch. Again, weather conditions were nothing less than
excellent. A one hundred foot telescopic crane was used to lift the
room to the top of the structure. Approximately fifty spectators,
including members of the Avery Point Lighthouse Society, the American
Lighthouse Foundation, University of Connecticut campus officials, news
reporters and interested residents looked on and photographed this
significant stage of the restoration project.. The air of excitement could
be felt as the crane and workers moved the lantern room into place on top of
the lighthouse. Once the wooden and steel lifting cradle was
completely removed from around the cupola, many of the spectators displayed
their emotions with cheers and applause. “First Class!”
It is anticipated that, without any further delay in the delivery of
materials, the final phase of the lighthouse restoration will be completed
by November 1st. The Avery Point Lighthouse Society will be
working with officials from the University of Connecticut to schedule a
relighting and rededication ceremony for the lighthouse to be held
sometime in the early spring of next year. Once a date has been
established announcements will be made through various lighthouse
organizations and associated websites.
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
With the new lantern atop Avery Point,
the lighthouse is ready to be re-lit in 2006
Invitations will also be sent to all who have contributed to the restoration
project. For additional information concerning the effort to save,
restore and relight the Avery Point Lighthouse please visit the Avery Point
Lighthouse Society’s website at
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
(L to R) Stephen
Jones, Ron Foster, Jim Streeter & Mark Robinson talk about the Avery
Point restoration project during the lantern's reestablishment
Avery Point Lighthouse
Society co-chairman Dale Treadway..."Our beacon of hope is back!"
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Avery Point Lighthouse
following the lantern's reestablishment on September 30, 2005
The tug Chief transports Avery Point's
lantern down river to the Shennecossett
Yacht Club
Photo by Ron Foster
Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani
A telescopic crane lifts the
2000-lb lantern during the
reestablishment process
