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The
United States Lighthouse Society is a non-profit
historical and educational organization incorporated
to educate, inform and entertain those who are
interested in America's lighthouses, past and
present.
Modern technology has
doomed the classic lighthouse. The Coast Guard,
in it's role as custodian, has automated all
of the light stations in this country and, in
the process, has eliminated the need for operating
personnel. Sterile, rotating aero-beacons on
monopoles have replaced many of those proud
coastline ladies of former years with their
sweeping towers of brick and Victorian gingerbread.
In selected cases, the
Coast guard is licensing some formerly manned
and now discontinued light stations to qualified
groups. Many of the light stations that were
considered as no longer functional have been
transfer to various states, counties, or to
non-profit groups and are now serving as museums,
bed-and-breakfast inns or youth hostels.
Although the almost
300-year era of manned light stations in this
country has come to an close, those remaining
symbols of our maritime heritage can, and should
be, preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.
With this in mind, the U.S. Lighthouse Society
was founded to assist in the restoration and
preservation of America's lighthouses and help
qualified local groups in their efforts to return
the nation's lighthouses to the public domain.
Goals
of the Society
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To assist, in every possible way, the restoration
and preservation of America's Lighthouse.
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To continue researching the history of lighthouses,
lightships and related aids to navigation.
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To
collect artifacts and lore related to
lighthouses and lightships.
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To
sustain a program whose purpose is to
put concerned parties in touch with local
restoration groups.
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To
serve as a means of communication between
all who care about the preservation of
these unique symbols of our maritime heritage.
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To
continue publication of The Keepers
Log, a wholly unique quarterly publication
dedicated solely to interesting historical
aspects of these sentinels and to detail
current happenings and, in general, to
inform and entertain concerned people.
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To
maintain and constantly update a comprehensive
research library and photographic archive
containing material relating to lighthouses,
lightships and aids to navigation.
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To
raise funds for a future national lighthouse
museum.
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To
raise funds for a future national fog
signal museum.
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To
maintain the society vessel RELIEF
as a floating museum.
The Thread That Binds The
Society
Our
The Keepers Log, a 48 page glossy quarterly,
is "the thread that binds the Society." The
first section is historical in nature, featuring
a famous American Lighthouse cover story,
a human interest article, and usually a Foreign
Lighthouse story. Other subjects explored
in this section are Related Aids to Navigation
(history of lightships, fog signals, etc)
and Clockworks (technical). Every issue also
features Pages from the Past (excerpts from
old Keeper's logs), and articles from the
"U.S. Lighthouse Service Bulletins" (published
every month from 1912 to 1939).
With
the Keepers Log, members also receive an 8-page Society Bulletin
detailing our various projects around the country, regional and foreign
lighthouse tours conducted by the Society and products for sale.
If
you are interested in lighthouses, lightships and kindred subjects,
The U.S. Lighthouse Society is for you. Membership in the Society
(a strictly non-profit organization) is tax deducible to the extent allowed
by law.
Accomplishments
of the Society
Since our inception in the Fall
of 1984, the Society has accomplished much including
the following:
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We were presented a Department of transportation
award for Outstanding Public Service to
Transportation and Historic Preservation
in 1986.
- We have developed
a comprehensive research library and photo archive (over 6,000 color
transparencies and hundreds of historical black and white photos).
We maintain files on almost every lighthouse ever constructed in this
country and a great deal of information on foreign lighthouses as
well. The library is open (admission free) to the public and our staff
provides information at no cost to non-profit groups restoring lighthouses.
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We have restored the lightship LV 605
which served on the OVERFALLS Delaware
and BLUNTS REEF California stations and
also RELIEF, relieving all west coast
lightships when they came in for maintenance.
Society members have expended well over
10,000 hours restoring the ship and over
$100,000 has been donated by Society members,
Chevron USA, and other entities. The ship
is Interpreted and has many historical
artifacts on board. She has been designated
as a National Historic Landmark by the
U.S. Department of the Interior.
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We have obtained
a license from the Coast Guard for the Gurnet Point Lighthouse (
run by the Massachusetts Chapter of the Society) and the New Dungeness
Lighthouse ( run by the New Dungeness, Washington Chapter). Both
lighthouses are open to the public.
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We
conduct several regional lighthouse tours
for our members every year including some
to foreign countries. Tours in the United
States usually last three to four days
and include ground (occasionally boat)
transportation, most meals, lodging, entrance
fees, speakers in the evening, tips, taxes
and o tour patch for each participating
member. We have had domestic tours in
Maine, New Jersey, Dixie, the Pacific
NW, San Francisco and foreign tours to
many countries including Russia, Norway
and New Zealand to name but a few.
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We
also act as a speakers bureau. Our president
has appeared on numerous radio and television
shows and has spoken to groups from Maine
to Florida to California.
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We
have chapters of the Society operating
in Massachusetts, Chesapeake, Oregon and
New Dungeness, Washington.
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The
Society has over 10,000 members both foreign
and domestic.
Becoming a Member
All memberships are
renewable with receipt of the Summer Log. Members
joining during the year will receive Keeper's
Logs and all other material published during
the current year.
Send a card or letter with a check, money
order or valid credit card number to:
U.S. Lighthouse Society
(Membership Department)
244 Kearny Street Fifth Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
(Be
sure to mention that you saw it in "Pete's
Lantern Room")
YOU CAN ENROLL IN
ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
KEEPER: $35.00 U.S.A./$35.00 Foreign. Basic
annual membership which includes the Keeper's
Log, The Bulletin newsletter, bumper sticker
and membership card.
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KEEPER'S FAMILY: $50.00 U.S.A./$45.00
Foreign. Same as above plus multiple
membership cards, window decal and 10%
discount on Keeper's Locker/Library
items.
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DISTRICT INSPECTOR: $75.00 U.S.A.
Not available to foreign members.
Same as Keeper's Family plus Lighthouse
"surprises" during the year.
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DEPUTY COMMISSIONER: $250.00 U.S.A.
Not available to foreign members.
Same as Keepers Family plus additional
lighthouse items during the year.
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COMMISSIONERS CIRCLE: $500.00 U.S.A.
Not available to foreign members.
Lifetime membership plus all the benefits
of Keeper's Family members.
- PATRON
OF PHAROS: $1000.00 USA Not available to foreign members.
Lifetime membership plus a special plaque and personal updates from
the Head Keeper.
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