ALF’s Pomham Rocks Lighthouse Appears on Cover
of National Magazine
Few places would seem more charming and warm than a
lighthouse at Christmastime.
Our thoughts and memories of lighthouses often conjure up
a plethora of notions ranging from vigilance and selflessness to romance
and family.
You might say that lighthouses represent some of the
finest attributes of the human spirit – a steadfast tower of strength
and benevolence helping our fellow man in time of need that coincides
beautifully with the giving and heartwarming spirit of Christmas.
Therefore when lighthouses and Christmas are artistically
Courtesy of Lighthouse Digest
Pomham Rocks Lighthouse is
featured on the cover of the
December 2008 issue of
Lighthouse Digest magazine
blended, the
results are often enchanting, whisking our imaginations away on a magical
journey of thought that touches our hearts during the holiday season.
One such alluring example of artwork that captures the spirit of Christmas
at a lighthouse can be found on the December 2008 cover of Lighthouse
Digest magazine, which features Pomham Rocks Lighthouse in Rhode Island.
Artist Virginia Souza captures the essence of Christmastime at a lighthouse
with her charming painting entitled, ‘The Stockings Were Hung at Pomham
Rocks Lighthouse With Care.’
Souza’s painting, which is rich in color, warmth and magic of the season,
also depicts Rudolph helping to fill the stockings, as Santa gets ready to
U.S. Coast Guard Photo
Since 1871 Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
has witnessed 137 years of history
and Christmas holidays
depart the lighthouse on his midnight Christmas Eve
delivery.
“This is the eleventh straight year that we commissioned
Wells, Maine, artist Virginia Souza to paint a whimsical lighthouse
scene for the cover of our Christmas issue,” said Tim Harrison, editor
of the magazine, which delights lighthouse history enthusiasts
throughout the country.
He continued by saying, “Pomham Rocks Lighthouse was chosen for the cover of
the December issue to help draw attention to the accomplishments and
restoration efforts of the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, which is a
chapter of the Rockland, Maine-based American Lighthouse Foundation.”
Harrison concludes that he has always liked Souza’s artwork and, "From the
compliments we are receiving, this appears to be the most popular cover
she’s ever painted for us.”
Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, which stands sentinel on a small
rocky island along the Providence River, has been a part of
Christmastime within the surrounding East Providence community for well
over a century.
“Christmas has come to Pomham Rocks Lighthouse once each
year since 1871, a total of 137 times,” says Don
Photo by Laura McNamara
"Lighthouse Santa" circles Pomham Rocks
Lighthouse on December 6, 2008
Doucette, chairman of the Friends
of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse. “Many of those Christmas holidays through 1939
were celebrated by the United States Lighthouse Service keepers and their
families, including lighthouse children, who lived at the site and kept the
light burning to safeguard others.”
“Later, United States Coast Guard personnel, and lastly, caretaker families
who lived at the lighthouse in the early 1980s, also celebrated Christmas at
Photo by Laura McNamara
(L to R) "Elf" David Kelleher, Don
Doucette...AKA "Lighthouse Santa," "Elf"
Nancy Doucette and "Elf" Rob
Charbonneau
Pomham Rocks. Thereafter the absence of resident
keepers caused Christmas to become a dormant reality for several decades
at the lighthouse. It was a bleak prospect to say the least.”
Doucette went on to note, “During the last several years
there has been a glimmer of hope thanks to efforts of the Friends of
Pomham Rocks Lighthouse. The group
has placed faint LED candles in the windows of the lighthouse at Christmas
following the 2005 exterior restoration, as well as several seasonal wreaths
that adorn the structure during this special time.”
“Finally, Pomham Rocks’ ‘Lighthouse Santa’ has circled the island lighthouse
during the holiday season the past two years, with the last successful visit
occurring on December 6, 2008.”
“However, this year’s Pomham Christmas celebration has been more than
special for the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse with the published
cover of Lighthouse Digest depicting our
lighthouse in the form of Virginia Souza’s painting ‘The Stockings were
hung at Pomham Light with Care.’ This is the icing on the cake, if you
will.”
Doucette concluded, “We are grateful for the Christmas
hospitality extended by Tim Harrison, publisher of Lighthouse Digest,
as well as for Virginia
Photo by Laura McNamara
"Lighthouse Santa" spreads the joy of
Christmas while raising awareness for Pomham Rocks Lighthouse in the
East Providence, RI community
Souza’s artistic and festive addition to the 2008 Christmas celebration at
Pomham Rocks Lighthouse. They have given us the gifts of inspiration, joy
and hope to help carry on with our Pomham Rocks Lighthouse preservation
duties. Thank you.”
“And to all our ‘little lightkeepers,’ don’t forget to hang your Christmas
stockings – Merry Christmas and be with Joy!”
Previous whimsical Christmas covers that Souza has painted for Lighthouse
Digest, which featured lights of the American Lighthouse Foundation,
include Owls Head Lighthouse, Little River Lighthouse, Pemaquid Point
Lighthouse, Wood Island Lighthouse, Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse and Race
Point Lighthouse.
To learn more about Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, a chapter of the American
Lighthouse Foundation, visit
To learn more
about Lighthouse Digest or to purchase the December 2008 issue,
contact the magazine at P.O. Box 250, East Machias, ME 04630 or by phone at
207-259-2121 or visit them on the web at
