Posted By: RFoster
NELL's Lighthouses, Hot Chocolate & YOU, 2004 - "A Huge Success" - 02/02/04 12:19 AM
On a cold winter day (the last day of January, 2004) New England Lighthouse Lovers gathered early for what would be another fantastic day together, lighthousing and raising funds for their preservation. This would be the fourth annual Lighthouses, Hot Chocolate & YOU event and this year would be a very special trip due to the fact Kim Andrews would be joining us.
This year the tour started in Westerly, RI at Watch Hill Lighthouse where the temperatures were in the 20s along with a 15 to 25 mph wind that made it seem much colder.
Luckily we were able to take refuge inside the keepers quarters after braving the elements for this photo op.
After climbing the tower at Watch Hill we headed for Stonington Lighthouse Museum where curator Louise Pittaway informed us of the history of this very historic place and showed off the recent renovation to the floor inside the keepers house. Now visitors are able to walk on the clear floor (hi-tech plexiglass and steel construction) located inside the keepers quarters, and view the cistern and well below.
Then it was off to Morgan Point Lighthouse, a private home in Noank, CT, for a very rare look inside the summer home of Jason Pilalas, of San Morino, CA. You can read about this leg of our journey via the following link (an article in .
The New London Day
I think that everyone wanted to stay here for the rest of their lives, as this place was absolutely gorgeous. The owner had to gut the structure since it had fallen into disrepair following the many years without a lantern room, when the building was used for storage by the previous owner. The construction of additional floor space off of the original footprint, as well as the very unique collections of bells and maritime artifacts is what makes this home so appealing.
The final stop on this years tour was Mystic Seaport, home of a replica of the Brant Point lighthouse on Nantucket Island, MA., where we toured the grounds and then shared hot chocolate and cookies inside the Seaman's Inn Restaurant.
Approximately 90 NELL members and guests made the tour this year making it the largest trip of it's kind we have ever hosted. Tom Pregman, trip coordinator and NELL Vice President, did a wonderful job of planning this trip. The monies raised during this trip were donated to the non-profit organizations that care for the lighthouses we visited.
I hope that other Forum members who were present post some of their pics and share their memories here in this thread. I will certainly be sharing more in the near future.
Ron
(CT Keeper)
This year the tour started in Westerly, RI at Watch Hill Lighthouse where the temperatures were in the 20s along with a 15 to 25 mph wind that made it seem much colder.
Luckily we were able to take refuge inside the keepers quarters after braving the elements for this photo op.
After climbing the tower at Watch Hill we headed for Stonington Lighthouse Museum where curator Louise Pittaway informed us of the history of this very historic place and showed off the recent renovation to the floor inside the keepers house. Now visitors are able to walk on the clear floor (hi-tech plexiglass and steel construction) located inside the keepers quarters, and view the cistern and well below.
Then it was off to Morgan Point Lighthouse, a private home in Noank, CT, for a very rare look inside the summer home of Jason Pilalas, of San Morino, CA. You can read about this leg of our journey via the following link (an article in .
The New London Day
I think that everyone wanted to stay here for the rest of their lives, as this place was absolutely gorgeous. The owner had to gut the structure since it had fallen into disrepair following the many years without a lantern room, when the building was used for storage by the previous owner. The construction of additional floor space off of the original footprint, as well as the very unique collections of bells and maritime artifacts is what makes this home so appealing.
The final stop on this years tour was Mystic Seaport, home of a replica of the Brant Point lighthouse on Nantucket Island, MA., where we toured the grounds and then shared hot chocolate and cookies inside the Seaman's Inn Restaurant.
Approximately 90 NELL members and guests made the tour this year making it the largest trip of it's kind we have ever hosted. Tom Pregman, trip coordinator and NELL Vice President, did a wonderful job of planning this trip. The monies raised during this trip were donated to the non-profit organizations that care for the lighthouses we visited.
I hope that other Forum members who were present post some of their pics and share their memories here in this thread. I will certainly be sharing more in the near future.
Ron
(CT Keeper)