My Wish List

Finally had a chance to compile my Harbour Light wish list and thought I'd share it with you all. Of course if the powers that be at HL are reading and if gives them some ideas. That would be great to see one or two of these come out a year.

Here's my list: (***** = hi-pri wish)

Lighthouse Loons Wish List

Delaware:
· Delaware Breakwater
· Harbor of Refuge *****

Connecticut:
· Bridgeport Light – (Gone)

Boston Harbor
· Bug Light (Gone) *****

Minnesota
· Grand Marais
· Minnesota Point – (Currently only ruins are left) *****
· Duluth North Breakwater (Could be made as part of a set with South Breakwater Outer) *****
· Duluth South Breakwater Outer *****
· Duluth South Breakwater Inner
· Two Harbors Breakwater

San Francisco Bay Area
· Point Bonita *****
· Oakland Harbor (as original, not replica)
· Lime Point
· Point Diablo
· Miles Rock
· Point Montara

New Jersey
· Bergen Point Light – (Gone) *****
· Barnegat Light (As it was before 1910 with Keepers house) *****
· Tuckers Island (Gone) (as original, not replica) *****
· Romers Shoal
· Robbins Reef (Kate’s Light) *****
· Miah Maull
· Great Beds
· Chapel Hill Rear Range
· Conover Beacon
· Tinicum Rear Range
· Finns Point Range
· Fort Mifflin (Gone)
· Elbow at Cross Ledge
· Cross Ledge (Currently only ruins are left)
· Egg Island (Gone)

Lightships
· Barnegat *****
· Liberty

I would like to add a Louisiana lighthouse to my wishlist. Currently there are only two made by HL, New Canal & Southwest Reef. I'd like to see another in the coming years. Maybe one of the following:

- West Rigolets
- Ship Shoal
- Southwest Pass (any of or all 3)

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Lighthouse Loon

West Rigolets would be nice. I saw it from the bridge near by but never got any closer.

I would like to see something from Duluth...any of them would be a nice addition. So far HL has only Split Rock and Two Harbors...correct? Wisconsin Point lighthouse would be a welcomed addition also.

Here's a little history about one of the top lighthouses on my wishlist. This lighthouse is gone. Not because of any storm, fire, or erosion, but because of expansion. It was in the middle of one of the most traveled waterways for shipping. If Harbour Lights makes a model of Bergen Point Light, it may be gone, but it won't be forgotten.

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Bergen Point Light

The Bergen Point Lighthouse was built in 1849 at the junction of Newark Bay and the Kill Van Kull, about 50 feet from the New Jersey/New York border. It was a dwelling on a 60 foot diameter caisson. The tower was 54 feet high. The dwelling had 6 rooms and was 2 1/2 stories high. It was constructed at a cost of $4,969.78. By 1855 the lighthouse had fallen into disrepair as The Annual Report of the Ligthouse Board for 1855 gives the following information:Extract from the report of Major W. D. Fraser, of the Corps of Engineers, dated November 15, 1853:Bergen Point light.--the following information is derived principally from notes taken by Major Delafield, on his first survey, and fully authenticated afterwards by my own observation.The structure consists in a a two-story frame building, from the centre of which arises a wooden tower, surmounted by an octagonal lantern. It rests upon a quadrangular wharf of crib-work, filled partially with stone, and sheathed in the outside with four-inch plank placed vertically. The wharf rises about six feet above high-water mark, and is in a very pecarious condition, being constructed of very light stuff, and negligently frames. The house is settled at the centre, causing great injury to the ceilings both in the hall and upper rooms; and is so badly built thay evening admitting the foundations to be good, it is doubtful whether it would be proper to attempt any repairs. Little study seems to have been given to either the form or location of the wharf; to guard against to which it is every winter necessarily exposed; and the southwest angle has already sustained considerable injury therefrom. the dwelling-house is sufficiently commodious, but its condition, as well as that of the wharf, is too bad to justify me in asking anything for their repairs. The whole work ought to be renewed, and something better substituted in its place. How far any of it could be made subservient to this end, it is impossible for me to say, and hence the difficulty of making a reliable estimate. I have no doubt, however, that it will require an expenditure of at least $20,000 to carry out a plan from which a lasting benefit can be expected.Estimate for improvements...$20,000.00 Work began on the rebuilding of the lighthouse in 1857, coinciding with the rebuilding of the Passaic and Corner Stake Lights. By 1859, work had been completed on the Bergen Point Lighthouse. A report in 1868 states that the lighthouse "Requires nothing." In 1873, a large fog bell that was struck by machinery was installed, replacing a small bell struck by hand.

The station was discontinued in 1949 due to a widening of the Kill Van Kill, and the point of land on which it stood was to be cut off from the point. Eventually the lighthouse was torn down and replaced by a skeleton tower.


Here's the entire artical and a picture.
http://www.njlhs.org/njlight/bergenpoint.html

Thanks for the info on Bergen Point, Loon.

To simply insert a URL, just type it in and it will automatically become a hot link, opening in a new window. To learn how to do the more fancy link, displaying a name with the link embedded, my suggestion is look at the posting of someone who has done this (you can always click on the 'edit post' icon to see the actual post as it was typed in and how the link is done. You just can't edit it if it isn't your post). Looked like this was what you were trying to do, just weren't quite there.

Loon\'s Bergen Point link

Thanks Dave !!!

Actually what I really wanted to do was post a picture of Bergen Point. Couldn't figure it out, so I thought the entire acticle was the next best thing. Many Thanks !!!

Too bad to see a nice looking lighthouse like Bergen Point torn down. That list from Lighthouse Loon just proves that H.L. doesn't need to do duplicates. There are still a lot out there they could reproduce.
Judy

Judy,

Amen to that. I am tired to see so many duplicated lighthouses produced by HL.

bobo

I do believe one of the things Tony indicated was that there weren't plans to duplicate any lights. (going on memory here, and it is going for sure...)

Here's what I was trying to do before. Posting a picture of Bergen Point:

The two chops from Martha's Vineyard!
Point Bonita
A first order lens

Here's my second installment of sharing my hipri wishes from my wishlist. Some may consider this a duplicate as HL has done Barnegat Light twice already. But this is Barnegat Light as it originally was, before many storms eventually took away the keepers house. I know HL has done some lighthouses as they were, not as they are now(the ones that are still standing).

P.S. - Barnegat is the closest lighthouse to where I live.

I love the old picture of Bergen Point! Should be on a postcard!

Grace,

It was.

bobo

Don't suppose you might know where they might be available?

Here's some info from another lighthouse from my wishlist. I'm finally getting away from NJ lighthouses(for now). Minnesota Point would be a great addition to the HL collection of lighthouse and it hasn't been done yet. Maybe HL could do another then and now set in the near future.

Minnesota Point didn't hold up well with the harsh winters in Minnesota. It also wasn't built very well due to lack of proper inspections allowing the builders to use lesser quality materials.

Here's a link to some info for those who are interested:
Minnesota Point Lighthouse

And some pictures:

THEN




NOW

We went by Minnesota Point on a great WILD cruise but if you blinked you missed the ruins in among the brush. That would be a good "Gone but Not Forgotten Light."
Judy

I agree Judy...a great nominee for Gone but not forgotten. We tried to find it when we were up there last year...but didn't get very good directions. I wanted to walk down the beach and search for it but my husband said that we didn't have enough time. I found out later that it was just a short 1/2 mile walk. So it's on my list for "next" time. :rolleyes:

Here's a few smaller lighthouses from the Hudson Bay and Delaware Bay. These might be great for the Collector Society signup pieces.

Robbins Reef - NJ (known also as Kate's Light for the Lighthouse Keeper) That is the Statue of Liberty to the left.


Romer Shoal - NJ (Hudson Bay)


Miah Maull Shoal - NJ (Delaware Bay)


Delaware Breakwater - DE


Harbor of Refuge - DE

Wow Loon, when did you get that pix of Maih Maull in the nice red it should be. Every time I've seen it, it's been an unbecoming pink. You must have gotten that shot shortly after it received its new paint job. I wonder how long it takes for the sun to kill that red paint. I heard a story once that the last time it was painted they used the wrong red paint and thats why it faded so much. True - false...who knows?? I sure don't.

My pic of Miah Maull is from a couple years ago. Your pic is much more true to how it is today. Mine might be right after it was painted as it looks TOO red. Hope to get a look at it next month.

Thanks for sharing those pictures! They are terrific - loved the then and now pictures, although sad. That's a great postcard! And that red is out of sight!

Anyone know where the two postcards might be available - Bergen Point and Minnesota Point?

Grace, try ebay. Since Old Cape Henry is my favorite lighthouse, I have purchased several lighthouse postcards from ebay with good results.

Thanks, Eric! I will check it out.

I guess I'm going to continue to "push" my wishlist in hopes HL picks one in the near future.

Since I collect HL lighthouses from several areas, there's a good chance there will be at least a couple new ones I will get every year.

AWESOME pics!
Do they ever offer "boat tours" to actually go and visit inside any of these lighthouses? If so, where do they leave from? Send me an e-mail if you have any information as I too am from Joisey!

BB

Bob,

You can visit the Delaware Breakwater at various times. Check out the website of the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation . Don't think any of the others allow you in.

BeaconBob,

Don't think you can get an inside tour of any of these. You can get very close to the Delaware Bay lights if you take the Delaware Bay lighthouse cruise that sails from Cape May. Next cruise is not until next year.

The Hudson Bay lights can be seen from some of the ferry's that go between Jersey City, NYC, Staten Island, and the Highlands.

LL,

Thanks for the info. I will certainly keep my eyes open for the tour next spring.
Too bad they don't have special tours of these...it would be interesting to take a boat out to one of them and actually go inside.

BB

Bob, if you will follow the link I gave, you will see that they DO offer tours to the Delaware Breakwater Light. Last one for the year is October 14th, the same weekend as the NJ Challenge. I'm sure they will conduct tours again next year.

Thanks Dave !!!

I didn't know the Delaware Lighthouse tours existed until I checked the link you recomended to BeaconBob.

Now if Jersey would have the same kind of tours for there lights on there side of the Delaware.

Gotta start somewhere. The Delaware folks have had a tough time getting things going. Had to rebuild their dock a couple times, I believe. But, they have proved it can be done. Takes a well organized, strong group to make it work. And, I think the group has to have a lease or have obtained ownership to make it happen (can't do it when the CG still owns/controls it.) Maybe that will happen with the other Bay lights sometime down the road.

Awesome Dave...thanks for pushing me to the link and then looking at the tours. I've bookmarked this and will re-visit this in the spring as I was planning on doing the NJ challenge this year!
My guess is that if this lighthouse is open for tours, that someone from the NJ side might actually run tours there too...just got to find out who and when?

BB