Have you seen the cover of the latest LH Depot catalogue picturing the lighthouse at Vermillion, OH? Wouldn't that make a nice event piece or Society gift?

Lamar,
The light at Vermillion is actually a replica of the original, relit in 1991. It is a pretty setting, on the grounds of the Great Lakes Historical Society Museum. Several nice Fresnell lenses on display.

http://www.inlandseas.org/

Dave

I would vote for any new Ohio light. I have a nice painting of the light, blanketed in winter snow, that would make a perfect backdrop for a future HL sculpture. The museum's maritime library is awesome. I believe it is the largest collection of works devoted to the great lakes

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Rod Watson

[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 11-21-99).]

[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 11-21-99).]

[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 11-21-99).]

Yeah, I'd buy it. Especially as a *small* (pre-Kilauea sized) event piece. It's kinda cute. But cripes guys, with all the flak that poor Lady Liberty had to take over "not being a real lighthouse" (which it is), is the world ready for a certified, card-carrying fakie?

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-Art

Hilton Head already started the precedent though, Art! At least this one would be an exact replica of the real light that once stood at the end of the pier.

Thanks Dave. I didn't know it was a replica. The picture sure looks good!

I'm not at all an advocate of HL doing replica lighthouses (Hilton Head/Sea Pines included); there are so many vintage real ones yet to do. In fact I'm not an advocate of replica lighthouses at all other than those privately funded. There are so very many historic sentinels in need of restoration/preservation I hate to see the money spent on building new structures made to look like old ones when many of the old ones desperately need care.

The loophole here is, of course, that HL needn't make a model of the replica of Vermilion. They could do a model of the original Vermilion LH.

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-Art

Lamar,
According to Laurie Penrose in her Traveler's Guide to 100 Eastern Great Lakes Lighthouses, the Vermillion light was built with $55,000 in private funds raised by Ted Wakefield in the 1980's to "rebuild the light in exactly the same way as the original." The Lighthouse Service tore in down in 1929 when it was reported in need of repairs,

At least this "replica" is reputed to be an exact copy of the original. You know there are more and more lights that are being partially reconstructed to save them. Just think of this as a more complete reconstruction............

I finally got the current Lighthouse Depot catalog today, and it is a great picture.

Dave

The original light was built at the end of a wooden pier in 1877.

The one thing they missed on the Lighthouse Depot photo was the huge propeller right in front of the light, which really sets it off.

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Rod Watson

[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 11-24-99).]

[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 11-24-99).]

I haven't seen the LHD catalog yet. Did they include the pilot house of the Canopus?
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/im

Nope, Tim. They missed that too. It's a winter shot with the Christmas wreath on the light, and the small anchor next to it. You cannot see the Wakefield mansion, or the museum at all. It's a cute shot, though.

Whoa Rod! GREAT picture. Thanks.



Yeah, then it would be OK for me. [bg]



You're absolutely right and that is a personal dilemma I sometimes wrestle with in that I don't REALLY know where to draw the line. Maybe this would be a good Forum topic on the Real Thing?

Thanks for all your feedback.


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Keepin' the flame
[This message has been edited by LamarB (edited 11-24-99).]