Lighthouses best serve our community when
they are shared with the general public. Whether admiring their stately
presence from the exterior or ascending a light’s interior staircase to
breathtaking platforms high above the foamy reaches of the sea, the
value of these historic icons proves unlimited for people of all ages.
There are times however when
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse
the well-being of
lighthouses can only be assured by keeping “guests” out of light’s conical
construction. When Mother Nature and all her destructive powers pay a visit
to a lighthouse, it is best that the tower be closed up tight from enabling
her unwanted intrusion.
As evidence by the
various states of deterioration to sentinels around the country, the silent
toll that Mother Nature exacts on a historic lighthouse is total and
unforgiving if left unchecked for any period of time. In light of this fact,
the American Lighthouse Foundation is moving forward this spring to stay one
step ahead of any deterioration that might prove to be detrimental to the
historic integrity of the 1874 east tower at Cape Elizabeth Light Station.
The 65-foot, cast-iron sentinel, which is licensed to the American
Lighthouse Foundation by the U.S. Coast Guard, is a widely searched-out icon
by hundreds of thousands of people visiting Maine’s coast each year. “This
is one of the most viewed and photographed lighthouses in the state,” says
Timothy Harrison, president of the American Lighthouse Foundation.
On May 4, 2005,
members of ALF escorted Mike Toews of CertaPro Painters -- a respected paint
and contractor firm that is presently working
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
(L to R) Tim Harrison & Mike Toews of
CertaPro discuss the project
to repair the leaking window panes inside the
lantern room
to repaint
Portland Head Lighthouse, throughout Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse. Mr.
Toews examined both the interior and exterior of the historic structure
to gain a better perspective for the scope of work that will be
necessary to repaint and ensure the lighthouse is watertight.
Though the
light tower appears to be in good condition overall, there are some
areas of
concern that the American Lighthouse Foundation is working to rectify with
financial assistance from the 1772 Foundation who granted the organization
$25,000 towards the light’s restoration. “The dome of the lantern room needs
to be repainted since the elements have removed much of the protective
coating from the copper cupola, however, I believe we will need more money
to properly reseal the lantern room window panes and stop the spalding
occurring to the masonry at the base of the tower,” says Harrison.
By caring for the historic lighthouse at Cape Elizabeth, the American
Lighthouse Foundation is not only preserving one of Maine’s most
recognizable
coastal treasures, but also the many stories of valor, dedication and
sacrifice that resonate throughout its cast-iron construction. “There
are more interesting and rarely-told stories about the Two Lights of
Cape Elizabeth than any other Maine lighthouse,” says Harrison. “The
lighthouse has appeared on the Maine state postage stamp, it was
featured in a couple of Edward Hoppers famous paintings and it was the
only lighthouse draped in black after Lincoln’s assassination – and this
is just a few of the marvelous human interest stories attached to the
light’s rich history.”
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Water leaking into the tower is impacting
the concrete walls and cast-iron spiral staircase
Even some of the men who kept the light burning bright at Cape Elizabeth are
forever connected to the station’s history, as Harrison points out, saying,
“Keeper Marcus Hanna was awarded the gold life-saving medal for his heroic
rescue of shipwreck victims in 1885 during a horrific snowstorm that nearly
cost keeper Hanna his life from exposure and exhaustion.” Harrison went on
to say, “in addition to the valor of keeper Hanna, another keeper by the
name of Joseph Upton lost his life at the lighthouse in the line of duty
from a fatal fall inside the beacon after lighting an auxiliary light in
place of the extinguished main light in 1934.”
Ensuring that our nation’s lighthouses are preserved not only saves the
irreplaceable historic structures themselves, but also the many unique and
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
View of the corrosion caused by
water leaking into the lantern room
priceless
human interest stories related to America’s rich lighthouse heritage
like those that Mr. Harrison briefly recounted. In doing so, the heart
and soul of each lighthouse is thus saved and able to be shared with the
general public now and in the future. Thanks to the kind financial
support of people like the 1772 Foundation and the unwavering commitment
of the American
Lighthouse Foundation to preservation and education, Cape Elizabeth
Lighthouse will continue to “send out the light” for all Mainers and the
state’s countless visitors!
