What others had
to say...
“A fully staffed interpretive museum
on lighthouse history has been a dream of mine for years. The Grand Opening
of this phase of the museum will be a learning tool for all who visit. No
where else in the country is so much lighthouse history and artifacts on
display under one roof.
However, we have so many more
artifacts and documents that are not yet on display. A perfect example is
the several hundred items that were donated this weekend by three families.
These items must all eventually be displayed for the public to learn why we
are doing what we are doing to save yesterday for tomorrow.
Hopefully, as donations and grants
permit, we will soon be expanding the size of the museum into the office
space and storage area in the back of the building. It is vital that we
preserve this rich part of our nation’s history, but we need the public’s
help.”
-
Tim Harrison, President
American Lighthouse Foundation
“This is such an
important milestone for ALF. In just a few short years we have done much to
preserve lighthouses and their history for the future. The Grand Opening is
just the beginning; there is still so much to be done. My hope is that today
has piqued the interest of today's young people so that the rich lighthouse
history that is ours, will live forever as a legacy to the bravery of those
keepers of yesteryear.”
-
Kathleen Finnegan,
Treasurer
American Lighthouse Foundation
“It certainly was a
great weekend. I was more than happy to see that we had a great turn out of
NELL members. And as always it was another great opportunity to catch up
with my extended lighthouse family. It is always such a pleasure to be able
to spend time with everyone. It was also nice that for the second time this
summer, NELL could participate at the opening of a lighthouse Museum. We
always enjoy the opportunity to get out into the community to help raise the
general awareness of the plight of the many lighthouses that are in
immediate need of attention. Now that the museums in both Wells and
Rockland are up and running, the lighthouse community now has two great
resources in Maine to let the world know about our lighthouse heritage and
what they can do to help save these national treasures. I've learned
that one person can make a difference and these museums could be just the
right vehicle to spark an interest in someone completely new to lighthouses
that turns into a flaming passion to preserve our maritime history for
future generations.”
-
Shirin Pagels, President
New England Lighthouse Lovers
"It was a pleasure to see so many
people from the various chapters of ALF come together for this event. So
many people chipped in to make the day memorable. It was also great to have
such a strong Coast Guard presence, including Admiral Pekoske. He, like so
many people in the Coast Guard, has a clear understanding of why
lighthouses must be preserved, and they're indispensable allies as we move
forward. And, of course, the centerpiece of the day was ALF's Museum of
Lighthouse History, which has developed into a site that no lighthouse buff
should miss. I tip my cap to all involved."
-
Jeremy D'Entremont, President
Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse
