Looks like the lifetime collection of some ne'r do well.


[*]Boat - not working

[*]Car - not working

[*]Travel trailer - not working

[*]Lighthouse - not working

Perhaps there should be a rule that when you buy a lighthouse you have to prove you have the money to keep it running properly.

[*]Restaurant - not working either.

When we were there last year, there was a very large mean old dog at the house too. It looked as old as the light, and pretty darn lazy. I would say that it really wasn't working all that well either.
[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 10-12-2001).]

Two dogs on our visit Rod - all bark.

Yep. The gas station was


[*]Not working

either.

I've never been there but is the whole area in that stage of "decay"? We all know that waterfront property keeps getting more popular and more expensive as time goes by. Maybe if someone entertains the thought of developing the area, they might rehab the light as a focal point. Once again, I'm not familiar with the area so I don't know exactly what potential lies along its shores.

Bob

When we were there in June, we found ONE thing working.....

the stench from the horseshoe crabs decaying on the shore!

Harbour Lights should do Mispillion as "Then and Now" pieces. The "then" could be the yellow color that can still be seen on the back of the lighthouse. Looking at old pictures, the cupola was different. The "now" could even include the car, boat, travel trailer and the mean dog.

[This message has been edited by Larry (edited 10-13-2001).]

Even in its present state you can easily see that with a some reapir and restoration work this lighthouse could be stunning...unique architectural style and I like that rounded chimney cap. It was my personal favorite of the tour.

John,

Looking at your picture, what is that white sticking out on the left of the lantern? It almost looks like the metal pulled away. It wasn't like that when I was there in June. Could it be that someone has been looking into what it would take to fix? Or vandalism?

Oh, and put the skeleton tower on the HL as well.

Hey Larry, ...Maybe HL should add a figurine of Saint John taking a picture of the light. Maybe a shot of him running with the mean dog chasing him would be nice also. (LOL)

Bob

Larry - that's the door that leads out of the lantern room to what must have been the walkway. Today it would be a very long step.

I've got to believe this building is unsafe to enter.

Looking through the door I suspect that more than the Fresnel is missing in this lantern room...





SaintWackoPaul '
Keep the Flame

Ahhh...the door. Thanks for the pics Paul. It still does beg the question: Wind or somebody starting to look into what it will take to fix? Hopefully the latter. The boat and the car in John's picture are new since June, too. There was a car behing the light then.

Here's an old picture from the Coast Guard site:



I'm guessing it's from the early '30's because the skeleton tower is there and has a light on it. It was lit in 1929. Notice the front porch, the railing at the top of the tower and the light color of the house. The car in this photo appears to be working.



[This message has been edited by Larry (edited 10-14-2001).]

Wonder how many buildings that have been abandoned for 82 years are even still standing? I'd say it looks pretty good, considering. Hopefully it can be saved.

The 'new' tower still exists at Mispillion. Maybe it's like one of the spots on the Earth where it's easy to balance an egg on end, etc.

There was a big blob of grass growing out of the lower left window last year. Doesn't appear to be there anymore...at least it has been improved a little?


[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 10-16-2001).]

Rod, maybe John edited the location in Photoshop before we visited. The Blob of Grass might have been there but we just weren't able to see it?

Here's another view of Mispillion;




[This message has been edited by SThompson (edited 10-16-2001).]

Mispillion Lighthouse was on the cover of Lighthouse Digest August 2001 issue. The article inside says that Mispillion is now listed as "Most Endangered Lighthouse in USA". A new group, called "Keepers of the Mispillion LIght" has formed and a local attorney plans to purchase the property and then lease it back to the group.

The American Lighthouse Foundation, (ALF), in an effort to assist the Keepers of Mispillion Light, has pledged to match dollar for dollar the first $2,500.00 in donations that is sent in by readers of Lighthouse Digest. That means $5,000.00 for the group, which is expected to be seed money for the expenses to start fund raising and to stabilize the the lighthouse.

The address to send tax-deductible donations made payable to the American Lighthouse Foundation is:

American Lighthouse Foundation
Mispillion Lighthouse Fund
P.O. Box 889
Wells, Maine 04090

More photos and articles on Mispillion here:
http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/de.htm