Do you know any lighthouses with Presidential connections? Post them here!

One post person/day.

Mine is PRUDENCE ISLAND, RI. According to Courtney Thompson's book, the lighthouse is deeded to every US President, from (I think) Monroe to W.

What else is there?

Fort Jefferson (Garden Key, Tortugas Harbor), FL's most famous prisoner was Samuel Mudd, who innocently set the broken leg of John Wilkes Booth, President Abraham Lincoln’s assassin. Dr. Mudd spent the first 2 years of his incarceration in chains in a dark and stinking cell. He was pardoned in 1869 after he volunteered his medical services to fight a yellow fever epidemic.

Sandy, lets take Garden Key one step further. The original light on Garden Key was first lit on July, 4 1826, the same day that former President Jefferson Died.

Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States (you didn't limit us to just US presidents) was imprisoned in the Casemate of Fort Jefferson, directly behind the Old Point Comfort Light.

The Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse in Hannibal Missouri has had three different Presidents linked to its lighting.

View the facts here

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and William Jefferson Clinton have all thrown the switch from the White House to light or re-light the lighthouse.

According to www.biography.com, Thomas Jefferson (and John Adams) both died on 4 July 1826, the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Wow, I thought that the first reply to this post would be this one:

Goat Island, ME...made "famous" in every shot (as I hear...I wasn't around yet) of the Bush compound in Kennebunkport during 41's term.

Piney Point Light , Maryland is called the "Lighthouse of Presidents". From their website:

PRUDENCE ISLAND (SANDY POINT) LIGHTHOUSE is Rhode Island's oldest lighthouse. An old deed to the light station indicates the property was specifically donated to President Millard Fillmore. The deed stipulates that ownership of the lighthouse is to be handed down to each succeeding President of the United States.

IDA LEWIS ROCK (LIME ROCK) LIGHTHOUSE, RI. Although originally named after its offshore rocky location, this lighthouse derives its fame from its ladykeeper, Idawalley (Ida) Zorada Lewis, whose father was assigned as keeper in 1854. Keeper Lewis had a stroke and his wife had to take over. Ida assisted her mother and eventually became keeper of the lighthouse. She handled the demanding keeper's chores and also managed over the years to rescue at least 18 persons from the cold, and sometimes treacherous, waters off Lime Rock. Unofficially the number of saved souls ran into the dozens.
As a result of her long service and lifesaving feats, President Grant personally met with her in 1875. In 1880 she was the first female recipient of the Carnegie Foundation's gold medal for heroism. In tribute to Ida Lewis her beacon remains lighted as a private aid mid-May to mid-October.

Horton Point Lighthouse (NY):

In the mid-1750s, Colonel George Washington reportedly visited Horton Point and felt it to be a good spot for a lighthouse.

In 1790, Horton Point was commissioned by President George Washington (although it wasn't built for more than 60 years due to the fact that the government was unable to procure the land upon which the lighthouse sits).

Plum Island (NY):

In 1897, former President Grover Cleveland visited the lighthouse and signed a guest book that was kept by the Wetmore family (keepers of the light).

Remembering this thread, I found this this evening ... Anyone know of other examples of this type?



Barry

here\'s the link