The Lighthouse Lowdown

You probably wouldn't dream of using a lighthouse for bombing target practice...right? Unfortunately, that was the fate of Waugoshance Lighthouse, built in the 1850s and hanging on by a thread today. Efforts to restore the light were abandoned in 2021, leaving this light to fall to into the waiting arms of Lake Michigan. Liked this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com References:...

Many know which lighthouse was the last to be automated in the US, but what about second to last? Goat Island Lighthouse of Kennebunk, Maine was not automated until 1990, and even today there are caretakers who watch over the light and the island it rests on. Happy Thanksgiving to all of our US listeners! Liked this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com References: Islands & L...

You've heard of nuclear bombs and nuclear power plants, but have you ever heard of a nuclear lighthouse? Baltimore Harbor Lighthouse was a pain in the behind to build, but it's troubles didn't stop there! Listen in for the story of the first (and only) US light to be run with nuclear power! Liked this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com References: Baltimore Light Station > U...

Happy Halloween everyone! Today we're covering the spooktacular Pensacola Lighthouse, home of the Blue Angels and spirits of long past...Listen in for the story of how this 40 foot lighthouse became a 150 foot beauty. Liked this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com References: Pensacola Lighthouse Website Pensacola Lighthouse | Lighthouse Friends Pensacola Lighthouse considered o...

It is not often that a lighthouse is built to replace an old tower, only for both to remain in service (and not as range lights)! This is the case for the Cape Romain Lighthouses, very different in color, stature, and light characteristic, but only a few yards apart! Listen in to this episode to hear about their exciting history and how you can visit them today. Liked this episode? Leave us a revi...

Best known for it's annual Christmas lighting ceremony, Cape Neddick Light, or Nubble Lighthouse, sits out of reach of visitors on a tiny island in Maine. Although it can't be visited now, Nubble Light has a rich history of tourism, including by the cat Sambo Tonkus (amazing name!). Liked this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com References: Nubble Lighthouse | Lighthouse Friends...

Can't think of anything fun to do next month? Pack up the kids and head to New Jersey! The third weekend of October is the Lighthouse Challenge of New Jersey, where anyone can drive the state shoreline to collect lighthouse, museums, and life saving stations! Liked this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com References: Lighthouse Challenge of New Jersey ( lighthousechallengenj.com...

Man, can Vince and I talk! In this lengthy episode, we chat about our trip to Cape Cod from beginning to end. If you're considering visiting the Cape, or just want to hear more about our adventure, listen in! Liked this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com

Also known as lightvessels, lightships are lighthouse's little brothers, guarding areas where lighthouses are not easily built. While there are only around 15 lightships remaining in the US today, the history of these ships stretch back hundreds of years! Liked this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com References: Lightships | National Park Service Lightship | Wikipedia History o...

20 miles into Lake Michigan from Mackinac Bridge, White Shoal Lighthouse is the only red-and-white barber shop tower in the US. As the tallest lighthouse on the Great Lakes, it has seen its fair share of action in its relatively short history. However, most of the history is in the making as White Shoal Light undergoes restoration to be unique lodging for adventure-seekers! Liked this episode? Lea...

Hereford Inlet Lighthouse was built in 1874 in the "stick" architectural style, sporting a red light characteristic until changing to a fixed white, then flashing white-red, to the flashing white we have today. While its gardens are considered one of the top 10 things to see in New Jersey, the lighthouse itself is beautiful to see and flush with exciting history! Liked this episode? Leave us a rev...

Now that we covered the first lighthouse in the US to display a Fresnel lens, it's time to "shed light" on the first lighthouse in the world to have one! Cordouan Lighthouse is a beautiful renaissance-style tower over four miles out in the Bay of Biscay. The 221 foot tall light is now a World Heritage Site and became a monument historique at the same time as Notre-Dame de Paris. Liked this episode...

We are covering a mini lighthouse for our mini episode! Deemed the "smallest working light tower in the world", North Queensferry Light still has it's original Argand lamp, lit today by visitors with vegetable oil! Liked this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com References: Forth Bridges Lighthouse Museum and Piers North Queensferry Lighthouse | Lighthouse Accommodation North Que...

There's a first for everything, and Navesink Lighthouse was there for a lot of them! When it became the first station to have a Fresnel lens in the Unites States, Navesink secured it's position as the guinea pig for a lot of the country's new innovations and technology. Listen in for the story of a lighthouse so powerful, that chickens stopped laying eggs. Liked this episode? Leave us a review on...

Okay, we thought we were special having a lighthouse logo with a blue daymark. Absecon Lighthouse is stealing our thunder! This Atlantic City lighthouse has had seven changes to its daymark since it was built in 1856. Listen in to hear about the lighthouse that wasn't deemed necessary in the first place. Liked this episode? Leave us a review on thelighthouselowdown.com References: https://www.ligh...

Ever wondered what it might have been like to be sequestered on an island during covid? Desiree Heveroh can tell you! Listen in for the story of how she volunteered to keep the light station company during the pandemic and what it was like to be there without power for two months straight. Note: East Brother Lighthouse was covered in Episode 20 of this podcast if you would like to learn more! Leav...

Lahaina Lighthouse went through four different towers before settling on what we see today. Many may recognize the name of this lighthouse due to the terrible fire that ripped through it's town last year, and we go through some of the details from the FSRI report that was released this month. If you feel inclined to donate, you can do so here: Maui Strong Fund | Hawaii Community Foundation Check o...

That's right, Lady Liberty was an official lighthouse! While only managed by the Lighthouse Board from 1886 to 1902, the colossal statue has an incredible history and is now maintained by the National Park Service. Listen in for the amazing story of how funding was raised, how she failed as a lighthouse, and how she was originally built wrong - and left that way for almost a century! Liked this ep...

It's easy for people like us to see lighthouses on our trips, because that's usually what we're there to do! But what if you hadn't considered yet if you want to visit a lighthouse on vacation? What if you have never planned a lighthouse-related trip before? In this episode, Vince walks us through easy ways to integrate lighthouses into your vacations or trips, whether you're landlocked like us or...

This is the first lighthouse that we have covered that is a replica of a lost original - Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse was haphazardly dumped into the Croatan Sound after being decommissioned in 1955, but the town of Manteo brought it back to life again in 2004! Like this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com References: USLHS Membership Levels Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse | Lighthouse...

Ever heard of a lighthouse that forms its own beach? Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse is another case of a damaged light replaced with an existing light from another town in Massachusetts, just like Nauset Light! Listen in for how a series of hurricanes made our breakwater light into a beach light! Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review at thelighthouselowdown.com References: Edgartown Harbor Lighthou...

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is another light that may be recognizable to the average American - it graces the Maine quarter! Another case of a rubblestone lighthouse falling apart, Pemaquid was rebuilt in 1835 and has withstood the test of time. Today, it suffers from the effects of the January 10th/13th storm along the coast of Maine, and needs your help to restore its historic fog bell house. USLH...

Throughout American history, the responsibility of lighthouses have fallen on many different shoulders - it can get confusing, even for us! In this episode, Vince breaks down how lighthouses have changed hands over the years and how the USLHS (which we rely on heavily for our research) came to be! Listen in for how the United States Lighthouse Society, a hub of lighthouse information, does incredi...

A lighthouse is often summoned in history by a devastating storm, and this was true as well for Split Rock Lighthouse. Perched on the edge of a 130 ft cliff, the light is one of the most photographed in the US. Enjoyed the episode? Leave us a review on our website thelighthouselowdown.com References: Split Rock Lighthouse | Wikipedia Minnesota Historical Society Website Split Rock Lighthouse | Lig...

The way to a lighthouse on the narrowest point between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron was a long one, and ended with two lighthouses instead of one! Listen in for the story of the 1890 castle-esque Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and how a bridge took it out of service. Happy New Year to all of our listeners! Leave us a review on our website: thelighthouselowdown.com References: Old Mackinac Point Lig...