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Save
Our Lights!
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American Lighthouse Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 565
Rockland,
Maine 04841
Phone: 207-594-4174
info@lighthousefoundation.org
The American Lighthouse Foundation is a
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization dedicated to the preservation of America's historic lighthouses.
SEARCH ALF WEB
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July 1, 2010…Update # 4 – The
2010 restoration of Owls Head Lighthouse is an $80,000 project being funded
and managed by the nonprofit American Lighthouse Foundation and ALF chapter,
Friends of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse
Preparing the “Red Carpet” Welcome for Visitors to Owls Head Light
By Bob Trapani,
Jr.
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The
restoration of Owls Head Lighthouse will soon be complete and the tower
open once again to the visiting public.
In preparation
for this exciting moment, you might say work crews were busy during the
month of June preparing a “red carpet” welcome inside the lighthouse for
future visitors.
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
A view of the newly refurbished staircase
inside Owls Head Lighthouse
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J.B. Leslie
Company, Inc., the firm contracted by the American Lighthouse Foundation to
facilitate the Owls Head project, has done yeoman’s work on both the tower’s
interior and exterior, but when it comes to that “wow” factor, the one
aspect of their work that stands out like a beacon is the iron staircase and
ladder that leads to the lantern.
Gone from the
staircase in the wake of the ironwork’s rehabilitation are the rust,
deterioration and blistering paint and the end results could not be more
contrasting.
After removing the
rust and deterioration from the treads, risers and underside, J.B. Leslie
Company applied two coats of primer, then a hard |
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Jim Leslie and Allan Spier work on
repainting the exterior of the tower
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coat, epoxy
paint (red), with a final topcoat still waiting to be applied in July
2010 to complete the new paint system.
Even with the
final topcoat still in the offing, the staircase, with its new, shiny
red appearance, still gleams as much as the tower’s freshly painted
white exterior.
In addition to
the iron staircase and brick exterior, work crews carried out repainting
efforts on the interior window frames, cement floor and exterior granite
trim work. The final white and black topcoats on the exterior will be
applied once the Coast Guard’s lantern project is completed.
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Though Owls Head
Lighthouse has been temporarily closed to the public during the 2010
restoration project, when it reopens later this summer, the wait will have
been worth it from both a preservation and aesthetic perspective.
The lighthouse
will look so good, that indeed, after walking through the entry door,
visitors might feel the iron staircase is like a “red carpet” welcome,
inviting them to the top of one of Maine’s most historic towers for a look
at the light’s beautiful fourth order Fresnel lens and unparalleled
panoramic views of Penobscot Bay.
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(L to R) Brian Johnson, Amber Edwards and
Allan Spier take a break from priming interior ironwork
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Allan Spier works
on the underside of
the staircase, applying a red,
hard-coat
epoxy paint
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Amber Edwards
applies a red, hard-coat epoxy paint over
initial primer coats along the treads and risers of
the staircase
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Brian Johnson applies
a red, hard-coat epoxy paint to the
underside
of the tower's upper landing
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Allan Spier works on adding a
fresh coat of paint to the tower's
interior ironwork
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Brian Johnson works on adding a fresh coat of paint
to the tower's interior ironwork
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Amber Edwards
(lower left), Allan Spier and Brian
Johnson work inside the tight confines of Owls Head Lighthouse
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
A view of the freshly painted staircase &
floors, repointed brickwork and
re-plastered alcoves
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Jim Leslie cuts-in along the
granite sills of the
tower's exterior
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Allan Spier caulks inside the lighthouse
to help prevent water intrusion and deterioration
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Brian Johnson rolls-on one of the brick
tower's exterior topcoats
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Amber Edwards applies a fresh coat of
black paint to the tower's exterior granite-work
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Jim Leslie rolls-on
one of the brick tower's exterior
topcoats
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
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Brian Johnson and Amber Edwards work on
repainting the exterior of Owls
Head Lighthouse
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Posted:
7/9/2010 |
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