2023-05-30 18:17:17
Ten lighthouses that for generations have stood sentinels along America’s coastlines, protecting boaters from danger and guiding them to safety they will be given away free of charge or sold at auction by the federal government.
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 headlights are no longer essential for navigationsaid 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 typically no longer mission-critical.
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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 charm. “They really were instrumental in providing safe passage to some of these dangerous ports that provided communities with great opportunities for commerce, and they are often located in prominent locations offering breathtaking views.”
The GSA has been transferring ownership of headlights since Congress passed the National Historic Lighthouses 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 million.
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This 2023, six beacons are offered at no cost to federal, state or local government agencies, non-profit organizations, educational organizations or other entities that are willing to keep and preserve and make them available to the public for educational, recreational, or cultural purposes.
They include the 34-foot-tall Plymouth/Gurnet Light in Massachusetts. The octagonal wooden structure dates from 1842, although a lighthouse has been on the site since 1768. An earlier beacon at the site was manned by America’s first lighthouse keeper.
Kelly’s personal favorite is Warwick Neck Light, in Warwick, Rhode Island. The 51-foot-tall lighthouse dating from 1827 was an important navigational tool for boaters heading to Providence.
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Warwick Neck is really in quite a prominent spot on a bluff overlooking Narragansett Bay,” he said. “That’s probably one that I would say has a real ‘Wow’ factor when you go out and look at it.”
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.
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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 steel tower 50-foot tower dating from 1911 that is only accessible by boat but has spectacular views of the city’s skyline.
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.
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Some of the lighthouses purchased in the past have been converted into private residences by people wanting a unique living situation.
They all have their own interesting history,” Kelly said.
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