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American Lighthouse Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 565
Rockland,
Maine 04841
Phone: 207-594-4174
Fax: 207-596-1091
info@lighthousefoundation.org
The American Lighthouse Foundation is a
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization dedicated to the
preservation of America's historic
lighthouses & lightships and
their heritage.
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Little River Light Draws
Closer to Complete Restoration
Thanks to the Ongoing Dedication of
ALF Volunteers
By Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Little River Lighthouse, named one of Maine’s most
endangered historic sites, is a light station few people thought could
be saved, but that has never stopped the American Lighthouse Foundation
from believing that it could succeed in restoring this beautiful
historic site. ALF volunteers began the
restoration
process at |
Photo by Tim Harrison
Bob Allen of
Cutler donated the use of his
barge to
place a floating dock walkway
adjacent to
the boat ramp
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Little River
Light Station in 2002 and have not looked back since.
Though the
water-locked lighthouse presents many daunting challenges, measurable
progress continues to be realized thanks to the dedication, resiliency and
ingenuity of the volunteers - in particular, the passionate
Hal Biering who has
spent the last three summers volunteering at the island to help transform a
neglected and deteriorated light station back to |
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Photo by Tim Harrison
Bill Collette
(topside) works with Bob
Trapani to seal
the underside of the lantern room gallery to prevent water leakage
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its former glory. No matter the heat, fog, insects or workload, the 78
year-old Biering never wavers in his commitment to apply his well-honed
engineering expertise and carpentry skills to the rehabilitation of
Little River – an effort on his behalf that can only be described as a
labor of love. |
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The most
difficult part of a restoration project is not beginning the journey, but
staying the course when the mundane work inevitably becomes frustrating and
cumbersome. To the credit of volunteers that comprise the ALF work teams at
the light station, they have not permitted the naturally lengthy restoration
process or discouraging setbacks along the way to alter their vision of
seeing Little River Light Station saved and preserved.
During an
eight-day period from July 12-19, 2005, American Lighthouse Foundation
volunteers performed yeoman’s work on the island as the |
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restoration
project closes in on 75% completion. Led by lead preservationist Hal
Biering and ALF president Timothy Harrison, volunteers Kathleen
Finnegan, Bill Collette, Julian Kilton and Bob Trapani tackled a variety
of projects that yielded measurable progress at the light station.
Some
of the work completed during this work period included:
♦
A barge
established a floating dock at the island for easier access during tidal
fluctuations...ALF wishes to express its appreciation to Bob
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Kathleen Finnegan
sweeps clean
the area
inside the lantern room
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Allen for donating
his time and use of the barge
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Interior door restoration for each room
♦
Cutting back trees, limbs and brush from the 0.2 mile walkway leading from
the boat house to the lighthouse and in the yard around the light station
♦
Sealing the
exterior underside of the lantern room gallery to stop water leakage into
the tower
♦
Sealing the
interior portions of the interior of the brick-lined tower to prevent water
leakage
♦
Swept clean the interior of the tower
Tim
Harrison, president of the American Lighthouse Foundation, summed up the
recent work and volunteer energy at Little River Light Station, saying,
“Working with others while doing the actual hands on restoration |
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Julian
Kilton, great, great
grandson of Little
River
lightkeeper
Charles Kenney
(1912-23),
"weed-whacks" the
grass near the
lighthouse
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work at a remote
lighthouse is the most rewarding experience that one can have in
lighthouse preservation. You create camaraderie and leave the island at
the end of the day knowing that you have helped in a small way work to
save a vital slice of history.” Harrison went on to say, “Working side
by side with Julian, a descendant of one of the lighthouse keepers of
yesteryear, is in itself rewarding. If his great-great-grandfather were
alive, could you imagine what he would be saying and how happy he would
be to see his island home being restored as a monument to the past?”
The American
Lighthouse Foundation will continue to work at Little River Light
Station throughout |
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the summer in an
effort to bring the restoration project that much closer to completion. ALF
encourages anyone interested in volunteering to help at this historic site
to contact the organization at (207) 646-0245 or to email ALF at
volunteer@lighthousefoundation.org
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Photo by Tim Harrison
Little River
Lighthouse
July 17,
2005
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