2023-05-26 22:09:38
Ten lighthouses that for generations have stood sentinels along the coasts of the United States protecting boaters from danger and guiding them to safety are being given away free of charge and others are being sold at auction by the government federal.
The goal of the General Services Administration program is to preserve properties, most of which are more than a century old.
The development of modern technology, including GPS, means that headlamps are no longer essential for navigation, said John Kelly of the GSA’s Office of Real Property Disposition. And while the Coast Guard often maintains navigational aids at or near lighthouses, the structures themselves are no longer mission critical.
However, the public continues to be fascinated by the beacons, which are popular tourist attractions and the subject of countless photographers and artists.
“People really appreciate the heroic role of the lone lighthouse keeper,” he said, explaining his appeal. “They were really the instruments to provide safe passage to some of these dangerous ports that provided communities with great opportunities for trade, and they are often in prominent locations offering breathtaking views.”
The GSA has been transferring ownership of the lighthouses since Congress passed the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act in 2000. Some 150 lighthouses have been transferred, some 80 have been given away, and another 70 have been auctioned, raising more than $10 millions.
This year, six lighthouses are being offered at no cost to federal, state, or local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, educational organizations, or other entities willing to maintain and preserve them and make them available to the public for educational, recreational, or cultural purposes.
They include the 34-foot (10.4-meter) tall Plymouth/Gurnet Light in Massachusetts. The octagonal wooden structure dates to 1842, though a lighthouse has been on the site since 1768. An earlier beacon on the site was tended by America’s first lighthouse keeper.
Kelly’s personal favorite is Warwick Neck Light, in Warwick, RI. Dating to 1827, the 51-foot-tall lighthouse was an important navigational tool for sailors heading to Providence.
The other lighthouses offered at no cost are the Lynde Point Lighthouse in Old Saybrook, Connecticut; Nobska Lighthouse in Falmouth, Massachusetts; Little Mark Island and Monument in Harpswell, Maine; and the Erie Harbor North Pier Lighthouse in Pennsylvania.
Some are already maintained by nonprofit organizations, and those agencies will have an opportunity to apply to continue to do so, Kelly said.
If a new owner is not found, the lighthouse is offered for competitive bidding at auction.
The four lighthouses up for auction include the Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Light, a 50-foot (15.5-meter) steel tower dating from 1911 that is accessible only by boat but has spectacular views of the city skyline. city.
The others are Penfield Reef Lighthouse in Fairfield, Connecticut; Stratford Shoal Light in mid-Long Island Sound between New York and Connecticut; and Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entry Light in Chassell, Michigan.
Some of the lighthouses purchased in the past have been converted into private residences by people wanting a unique living situation.
“Everyone has their own interesting story,” Kelly said.
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