After the Fire

Three weeks after the fire, we finally made the trip down to the ill-fated Mispillion, DE, lighthouse today. We left around 7am for the two hour drive, fully expecting to get tied-up in holiday weekend beach-going traffic and the cars from the 150,000 people expected for the weekend at the Dover Air Force Base Open House and airshow. But I didn't care. And the weather was mostly cloudy. But I didn't care.

Well, we hit absolutely no traffic, and the sun came out just as we turned down Lighthouse Road. The Lighthouse Gods were smiling on us. Unfortunatly, they didn't smile on our destination.

It is a very sad sight indeed. Sadder than before. In addition to the lantern room being gone, and the tower being almost completely gone, the interior looks severely burned, from what I could see inside the upper windows. The lower windows and the front door are boarded up. The lighthouse has suddenly become the home for many, many birds. They were continuously flying in and out. The red siding has been removed, revealing an older white siding. The holes that were in the roof are much larger now. There is broken glass and twisted metal all around the front of the building. The smell of charred wood, even three weeks later, is strong.

The current abandoned car is the same one that was there when we were there a month ago.

And today was stranger than any of the other four visits we've made to Mispillion. There were people outside almost every one of the small houses that surround the lighthouse. There were kids on bikes and scooters. It was really weird.

Sadly, every one of them believe that the lighthouse will be torn down. And, after seeing it with my own eyes, I regretably have to agree with them. I see no hope. It is worse than any picture can show.

Click here to see some of the pictures I took today.

I also picked up a small souvenir. While walking around, I looked down, and mixed in with the dirt and gravel, I found several small pieces of the red asbestos siding. They were quickly shoved in my pocket:



If you have the opportunity (or if you don't, make it), be sure to visit Mispillion soon. I don't think she'll be there much longer.

[This message has been edited by Larry (edited 05-26-2002).]

Thanks for the update Larry. Sadly, it looks like its over for this poor light. Great pictures by the way. Too bad they had to be of the ill-fated Mispillion Lighthouse.

Sure not a good sign that the red siding has been removed. If the wrecking ball is on the way it would be nice if the chimney bricks could be salvaged at least.

Hmmm. What would you pay for an authentic Mispillion Brick laser-engraved with an image of the tower in it's heyday?

Could be a good fund-raiser for another lighthouse.

$25 $50 more?

Speaking of bricks:

The pile of rubble behind the lighthouse, which I believe was the remains of the rear chimney, is now gone. I saw some bricks mixed in with the busted-upp cement down by the water. It may have been them, or maybe not. There was one single, lonely brick still lying behind the lighthouse. I was tempted to pick that one up for myself, but I had that guilty "Would that be stealing?" question burning in my head. I left it where it lay. The siding chips didn't give me that feeling. I figured they'd just get turned under anyway.

Larry, I found your pictures and website to be most interesting. Thanks for the update on Mispillion Lighthouse. I realize it would take quite a bit of money to "rebuild/restore" the lighthouse to it's original state, but wouldn't it be great if that happened. It would make a heck of a nice B&B.

Ron
(CT Keeper)

POSSIBLE GOOD NEWS UPDATE!!!

After exchanging several emails this evening with Jeremy D'Entrmont of Lighthouse Digest and Bob Trapani of the Delaware Bay & River Lighthouse Foundation and Keepers of Mispillion Light, there MAY BE, and I repeat MAY BE, (no confirmation yet), possibly good news coming....

First Jeremy told me:
"He (Bob Trapani) just emailed me yesterday and said that Burke
has quietly sold the lighthouse to a party who plans to move it to
Shipcarpenter Square in Lewes (DE) and restore it there. I'm not sure if this is
official yet, but I'm sure we'll be hearing more about it. I suppose moving
it and restoring it would be preferable to just tearing down what's left."

So I emailed Bob, asking if it was okay to post that info and if he had any more to share. Here is his reply:
"I see no problem with posting the most recent info related to Mispillion
Lighthouse as long as you cover yourself with using something like..."word
has it that the lighthouse may possibly be..." - I'm sure you get the idea.

I tried obtaining some type of confirmation on the status of the lighthouse
tonight but was unsuccessful for the moment. Something will break here real
soon - I'll be sure to let you know exactly what is planned for this
wonderful and historic light.

...if the latest news is vaild and someone indeed wants to save and
restore the structure on a new location, then all of us who care about the
light can take heart in the fact that she'll live on. I must say though, the
"new look" with Mispillion Light (without the red shingles) actually is
interesting - I think it adds a certain character to the structure.

Thanks for the email - again, I'll be certain to email you as soon as I hear
any further information."

That has turned my upside-down !

As you probably know by now, I'll keep you updated with anything I hear (or read).

John's idea above would be a very interesting way to help fund such a move. Even if the bricks were used rebuild the light at a new location, they could probably get a number of folks to "sponsor" a brick.

Thanks for keeping us all posted concerning the ongoing saga of Mispillion.

Dave

THE MOVE APPEARS TO BE ON

I received this email today from a fellow who lives about a mile from the fateful lighthouse:


"Just to let you know, my wife and I were up at Ceder Creek Bait and Tackle yesterday afternoon and our mailman told us they were getting ready to move the burned out lighthouse. We took a quick ride up and a house moving outfit was getting it ready to be moved.
The rumor is that some outfit in Lewes (DE) bought it and will restore it. It is a shame Sam Merrit Burke would not work with the people who wanted to restore it and then the fire and now it will be gone.

Jim"

This is the second time someone has told me that the Burkes (the owners) did not work well with the Keepers of Mispillion Light. Maybe now that it is in other hands (someone who was willing to take a burned out hull), there may be hope. I hope.

On our next visit to the area, we may just have to stop and look at the empty spot. It sure will be weird.

Larry,

See if you can find any more info of when it is being moved, and possibly where to. We will be in the area on Saturday morning, the 22nd and wanted to snap a shot of it again, whether it's in the existing spot or possibly around it's new location.

---

Rod Watson

[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 07-03-2002).]

Rod,

My understanding is that it is being moved to Shipcarpenter Square in Lewes. I believe that is where the Overfalls is docked. I have an email out to Bob Trapani to see if he has any more info.

WOW, Bob responded quickly:

"The person who emailed you is correct - there was a house moving company on site yesterday (Bob Davidson House Movers). I spoke briefly with Laurence Burke (owner) about the lighthouse - he wasn't saying what was to happen with the structure, though he did state the lighthouse was to be taken apart in pieces. As for its final deposition or future plans, I don't know at this point. I can also tell you that a resident of Slaughter Beach told me that the roof was removed and the historic wooden tower scrapped into a roll-off dumpster...basically leaving the two-story house left to salvage.

As with all things, time will tell what is to happen with Mispillion Lighthouse. Thank you for the email - good to hear from you.

Best Regards,

Bob"

I'm not sure what to say.

Larry your pictures are absolutely tragic
Hopefully, this new owner will restore her to her former glory, even though in a new location.

I know nothing of this area, what is Shipcarpenter Sq?

MelJB

Lighthouse Digest has an article on Mispillion in this month's issue.

Suzanne

Thanks Larry. We will be spending Friday night (21st) about a mile from Shipcarpenter square. We'll be able to check and see what is there before driving up to the light Saturday morning. I'm sure we'll at least catch a glimpse of something interesting. We were at the light 2 years ago, and was looking forward to seeing the "aftermath" version. Becki and I both really liked this light.

---

Rod Watson
[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 07-03-2002).]

Here is a quick update I found today. I shows what the site looks like now without the light there.

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/news/mispillion_photo.html

That really blows. I was hoping something would be remaining for this weekend's trip. Out of the 275+ lights we have been to, this was Becki's number one favorite. We'll just have to rely on the memories and photos from our visit in August 2000...so sad: