I was contacted last week, I guess because of being Pres. of NELL here in NE, by the Seacoast on-line magazine. The editor was trying to help a man who had contacted him about Fresnel lenses. He wanted to know which lens was packed away in storage. I remembered reading something, maybe even here on the Forum, recently about a Fresnel stored until a controversy could be settled on which lighthouse or museum should get it permanently. Who can remember which one that was? He seems seriously interested in these lenses, so I recommended that he contact Ken Black, who runs the Shore Village Lighthouse Museum in Rockland, ME, and has many on display. But I am sure many of you could give this man some help in general in telling him museums and articles and other resources that he could contact to help him in his interests on these beautiful lenses. Who knows, your helping him might get him to share his knowledge with all of us and interest him in joining HL and this forum. Would you be kind enough to send your thoughts and information to : Martin Roenigk, Mroenigk@aol.com You might tell him a little about this group and HL in general and recruit. Thank you for your help.

ladylightkeeper -

I think the lens and article you are refering to is the second order lens from Maine's Boon Island Lighthouse mentioned in the Sept. issue of the Lighthouse Digest from Lighthouse Depot. The article is on page 21, second column, bottom of the page.
The story refers to the dispute between the town of York Maine (which wanted the light for Sohier Park at Nubble Light) and the Kittery (Maine) Naval Museum. The US Coast Guard gave the light to the Naval Museum to go with their other items from Boon Island.

Just read the article last weekend so you caught me when my memory was at its best.

Jim

ladylightkeeper,

There is also a dispute over the Fresnel from the Fire Island lighthouse. Here's a link to the original posting:

http://216.46.163.97/forums/Forum5/HTML/000102.html

Rick

Lots of "lens talk" here too:

http://216.46.163.97/forums/Forum5/HTML/000003.html

Don't forget John's latest effort compiling the massive list of links-

www.harbourlights.com/links/new_links.shtml#top

and from that list here is a link to Ponce Inlet FL - they are actively restoring lenses and have a stunning display of Cape Canaveral's 1st order lense

www.ponceinlet.org/

Also might try Chesapeake Chapter of the USLHS - part of their preservation efforts are helping the Coast Guard to work on Fresnel lenses

www.cheslights.org/index.html

Dave

p.s when everyone gets done leaving their suggestions, use the icon at the top of the page to email a link to this thread to Martin.


[This message has been edited by Dave H (edited 09-16-99).]

Wow! You guys and gals are fast! Thanks
for these replies. I have clicked on
each of your suggested addresses and
there is some good information out there
that should help the gentleman. Actually
the one I was half remembering, is the
one from Rick about Fire Island. It is
embarrassing -- it is written by a member
of our NELL club, Bob Scroope, who lives
on LI. I should have remembered that.
Old age creeping in, I guess. And Dave
had a good idea --
something I didn't know even existed --
the ability to send a whole thread via
e-mail. I have a webtv and it doesn't do
any of the fancy things, but I just tried
sending it to my husband on his computer
in MS and will ask him if it came
through. (We live down there in winter,
but have been trying to sell our house.
He commutes back and forth several times
a year up here to NH ). Sounds like lots
of you live in
the South, especially reading the posting
for FLoyd. We go to Orlando each
Christmas-New Years, and would enjoy
meeting any of you in the Orlando area.
Barbara

FYI, there's been no word from the Franklin Institute yet regarding their willingness to release the lens. I spoke with Dr. Gayle Haines about it last Saturday, while we were conducting a Lighthouse Safari. The Commander of the USCG Moriches group has offered to store the lens for the FILPS, but it's all moot if the Franklin Institute won't give it up. Frankly, I'll be surprised if the Institute even bothers to respond this time.

Bob Muller
Stony Brook, NY
wildbird99@aol.com
www.longislandlighthouses.com