Cape Hatteras lighthouse, one of 60 lighthouses and light stations in the National Park System. |
Historic Lighthouses Available at No Cost
Interior Department seeks groups that can maintain the lights.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The mystique of historic lighthouses can be very powerful; their beauty and lifesaving function resonate with people. Staffers at the Interior Department learned that first-hand recently, after announcing that 301 lights that the Coast Guard can no longer care for were up for grabs. | "We were shocked at the response—the phone calls came in daily," said Nicol Andrews, Interior spokeswoman. "They were expressions of support, people asking 'How do I get one?' There's just nothing not to like about lighthouses."
Interior recently announced the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Program, which transfers lighthouses at no cost to public and private groups that can afford to maintain them.
"The program recognizes the cultural, recreational, and educational value of the structures by transferring them to the best possible stewards, both public and private, for long-term preservation," said Interior Secretary Gale Norton.
"There is a mystique to lighthouses, a drama, a history, almost an aura of reverence for their lifesaving function," she added. "People are drawn to them."
The transfers are mainly aimed at historical societies, nonprofits, and local governments. When that is not possible, however, private interests can attempt to buy one but will have to do so at fair market value, officials said.
At press time, six lighthouses had been transferred:
- Rondout Creek (Kingston) Light, New York, transferred to the city of Kingston.
- Esopus Meadows Light, New York, transferred to the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Group.
- Munising Range Light, Michigan, became part of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
- Little River Light Station, Maine, transferred to the American Lighthouse Foundation.
- Tybee Island Light, Georgia, transferred to the Tybee Island Historical Society.
- St. Augustine Lighthouse, Florida, transferred to St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum Inc., a nonprofit.
Recent federal legislation authorized the transfer of historic lighthouses. The 301 lighthouses to be transferred, mostly along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, are considered government surplus, no longer vital to mariners thanks to navigation technologies such as global positioning devices and radar. Lights can still help mariners during emergencies such as power shortages aboard ships.
For years, growing numbers of lighthouses have become tourist attractions and private residences. The National Park System contains about 60 lighthouses and light stations, including the Cape Hatteras and Alcatraz Island lights.
Officials said that groups that acquire lighthouses could expect to spend millions of dollars maintaining them. They must also be kept open to the public.
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