WELLS (June 1): At a ceremony held this past Memorial Day at the Museum of
Lighthouse History in Wells, Ken Black, known in the preservation community
as "Mr. Lighthouse," was awarded Lighthouse Digest magazine's "Beacon of
Light Award" for his efforts in preserving lighthouse lenses, artifacts and
history.
Ken
Black is the founder of the new Maine Lighthouse Museum, which is scheduled
to open on June 25 on Rockland's waterfront. The museum will display the
largest collection of rare lighthouse Fresnel lenses and related lighthouse
equipment of any museum in the United States.
In
presenting the award to Ken in
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Tim Harrison, Publisher of
Lighthouse Digest (left), presents
Ken Black with the magazine's
"Beacon of Light Award"
front of an
audience of friends, well wishers and family, Tim Harrison, editor of
Lighthouse Digest magazine said, "Many years ago, Ken started saving
lighthouse artifacts and lenses before anyone else even remotely realized
that these items would someday be priceless artifacts that would need to be
preserved to tell tomorrow's generations the stories of yesteryears
lighthouses. In fact, if Ken had not saved these historical treasures, most
of them would have been discarded and lost forever."
Harrison went on to say, "Ken had a vision, a vision that he still maintains
today, to keep alive the memories of the lighthouse keepers and families
that helped make this nation the great country that it is today."
Black, a former Coastguardsman, started the lighthouse artifact collection
back in the late 60s and early 70s, a collection that first started at the
Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani
Back Row: (L to R) Tim Harrison, Bob
Trapani, Ken Black & Paul Conlin
Front Row: (L to R) Dot Black & Peg Conlin
Rockland Coast Guard Station and was eventually housed in the old Shore
Village Museum. Now, thanks to the efforts of local community leaders,
this collection will now become the new Maine Lighthouse Museum, with
Phase One of the collection scheduled to open in a gala grand opening
ceremony in Rockland on June 25. Phase Two, the final phase, is
scheduled to open next year.
Harrison said that a chance meeting many years ago with Ken at the old Shore
Village Museum is what got him started in lighthouses. He continued, "Ken
had the first lighthouse newsletter in the nation, one that started and grew
without the help of the Internet that did not exist in those days. I like to
think of our magazine, Lighthouse Digest, as an expanded continuation of
that newsletter. Because of Ken's enthusiasm, which wore off on me, we now
have subscribers in all 50 states and 17 countries. It was Ken's dedication
and at his suggestion that I co-found the non-profit American Lighthouse
Foundation to assist is saving our nation's lighthouses and heritage. His
inspiration led to our creation of the Museum of Lighthouse History, which
will soon celebrate its Grand Re-Opening, in what we like to believe is an
extension of the new Maine Lighthouse Museum, - - all started by the vision
of Ken Black. In fact Ken now serves as the Honorary Chairman of the
American Lighthouse Foundation."
Harrison continued, "Lighthouse Digest created the "Beacon of Light Award"
this year in an effort to honor volunteers around the world who have
dedicated themselves to saving lighthouse history for future generations,
and no one is more deserving of this award than Ken Black, our very own,
"Mr. Lighthouse," he has created a legacy that will be enjoyed and honored
by many generations to come."
To
learn more about Lighthouse Digest, which is published eleven times a year
go or to
subscribe call 207-646-7000.
To
learn more about the Museum of Lighthouse History or to join the non-profit
American Lighthouse Foundation, go to
http://www.lighthousefoundation.org/ or
call them at 207-646-0245.
To
learn more about the Maine Lighthouse Museum go to .
