I'm out in Montauk camping last week, and on the last day, I run down to the lighthouse to climb the light. It's 10:15am and I'm standing on line with about a dozen people, waiting for the LH to open at at 10:30.
A discussion starts about LI lighthouses, and all of a sudden I'm giving a quick local seminar, on local LI lighthouses.
Now someone asks me if I've seen any lighthouses on the west coast, GreatLakes or Lake Champlain. I respond no, and tell him I've only been east coast lighthousing so far.
He then takes what appears to be a business card out of his wallet, and says, "you seem to be really into lighthouses, if you ever get to Lake Champlain - check these out."
Now on the card appears two lighthouses - The Forty-Fifth Parallel Lites - Wind Mill Pt and Isle La Motte.
Now here's the punchline! The two gentlemen I'm talking to are Lucky and Rob Clark who own not one but both lighthouses!!!
Rob proceeds to tell me that you can't believe the amount of maintenance that owning a lighthouse entails.
Anyway, there's been discussions about owning, buying, living in, being a lighthouse keeper, etc on this Forum, can you imagine owning 2 lighthouses !
They may have plans to make one a bed and breakfast. I plan to correspond with them so I'll keep you posted.
I'm sure somebody has pictures of these lighthouses? Paul? Rod? St John?
I thought everyone would enjoy this story. It's amazing who you meet lighthousing!

We haven't been to either Isle la Motte lighthouse or Windmill Point but I did find a couple of links for web pages for people to see pictures of them.


Isle la Motte:
www.lighthouse.cc/islelamotte/


Windmill:
www.tiac.net/users/buster/shiningsea/vtlinks.html

Speaking of lighthouses on the forty-fifth parallel, we just came back from a lighthousing trip and one of the lights we revisited was Old Mission Point Lighthouse. It is even closer to the actual forty-fifth parallel. It is only a few hundred feet North of the lighthouse door out in the water.

Old Mission Point: N44 59.477 W85 28.744
Windmill Point Lighthouse: N44 58.902 W73 20.477
Isle la Motte Lighthouse: N44 54.577 W73 20.282


The only problem I encountered was this guy kept getting in my shots. No matter which way I would move he would move right in front of me. He also kept trying to give or show me something. It looked familiar but I just couldn't place it. He said his name was Bob or did he say Fred?




Saint WackoPaul '
Keep the Flame



[This message has been edited by engbrady (edited 08-10-99).]

Only in America, Paul.

Should have had that guy carted off for disturbing photographers.

Derith

I think that guy is some sort of cardboard cut-out that pranksters are placing around the country in front of lighthouses and inside collectible stores. It's part of some kind of road rally game or something, kind of like "where's Waldo". Paul just has the secret treasure map of where they are all located!

---

Rod Watson
_{[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 08-10-99).]}

How exciting, Bob!

Paul: Couldn't you teach that guy your trick of balancing the HL on his fingertips?
(And getting himself out of the way)!

Mombo

[This message has been edited by mombo (edited 08-11-99).]

Rolling this one back to the top for Rob and Lucky Clark who have been lurking on the Internet and at this website. Hopefully, they'll sign in and share their adventures of restoring lighthouses with us!
Bob

Congratulations to Rob, Lucky, and Claire Clark who have a had a rough 2007. Hopefully this is just what they need to start a Great New year! Thanks for your dedication & resourcefulness in restoring and relighting your light.

Bob

Congratulations to the Clark Family! How cool is that - to own your own lighthouse and have HL honor it with a miniature! And it is a beauty, too. Thanks for preserving such an important part of our history!

Here are a couple of photos I posted in my blog from my trip to Vermont.
http://letstalklighthouses.blogspot.com/2007/10/lighthouses-in-vermont.html
Also more info about Isle La Motte
http://www.thecapecodstore.com/encyclopedia/isle_la_motte_vt.html
I'll have a page for Windmill Point soon, as well. Post it once it's up.

We took these photos on September 24, 2006 along with all the other lights on Lake Champlain.

Isle la Motte, VT:







Windmill Point, VT:

Very nice, Sandy! Thanks for posting them. We learn so much about the lights when HL puts out new models and everyone here shares pictures and information they have. Thanks for that, everybody!

I just spoke to Rob Clark, and it was his first knowlege of the replica. Needless to say he is very excited!

Bob

Don't you know they are excited! It's a good thing you called them, Bob. Thanks for passing on all this good information.

I've been working hard on the Windmill Point page in the Encyclopedia to get that info out to you all. Just uploaded to the site.
http://www.thecapecodstore.com/encyclopedia/windmill_point_vt.html
Check out the aerial photo I found, it really puts the whole area in perspective.

Looking at the aerial view Roland, it really explains the legal issue that the Clark's have been facing over the past years. The developer of the houses on the peninsula has been blocking access to the lighthouse. The Clark's lawsuit has gotten Clark family members access but the developer continues to block access to the public. Rob, Lucky and Claire are continuing their legal fight to grant the public access rights. This might be a good candidate for a Collectors Forum donation?
Bob

Bob, maybe you can give us a bit more background on the problems which have faced the Clarks. I'd heard they'd had problems but didn't realize the scope of those problems. You are right, the picture really helps us to visualize the issue of access to the property.

If you look at the aerial photo you can see the historic right-of way. It's to the right of the 5th house, just beyond the open area. You drive towards the lake, turn left and continue across the front lawns, near the lake, to the lighthouse gate. I spoke with Rob Clark this evening. The Clarks had won the battle over this right-of-way once but as ownership of the houses has changed the new owners started it again. Rob says it's now in the hands of the Supreme Court. Since Windmill Point is privately owned it's not a question of public access unless you're a guest of the Clarks. The family has spend a lot of money in legal fees trying to keep what should be theirs. They have been granted access to the lighthouse from the end of the road but they are trying to preserve the old right-of-way because of it's historic significance.

Hopefully, the Supreme Court will rule in favor of the Clarks once and for all. This should not be an issue that comes up at the whim of every new neighbor. Like you say, it's not even public access for which they are asking. What a shame it is that funds which they could use on maintaining both the lights they own has to be put into legal battles instead. Obviously, the neighbors have no interest in preserving history!

Sue, maybe you could start another thread to bring us up to date on your son and how he is doing - is he still in Iraq?

Thanks Sue for the updating the details. Anyone who has met the Clarks can feel for there plight.
They're just regular people who happen to own two lighthouses, yet realize the significance, history, and responsibility to preserve them.
And they have done it all these years on their own.
Bob

That aerial photo is from 2003. When I was there in October, there were more houses along this stretch, and one was being built at the very end of the long straightaway, at the edge of the lighthouse property facing the bottom of the screen. The house next door looked to be brand-spanking new, itself.
It appears that the Clarks are having the same battles that many here on Cape Cod have been having since the building boom which began here around 25 years ago. Many of the new residents are attempting "power plays" to change what has been in effect on Cape Cod for ever. They forget that the reason they moved here is exactly what they are trying to change, to make it more like where they came from. Yes, sometimes progress is good, but when an area begins to lose its unique identity and becomes just like every place else, we all lose a little something along the way.
I have mentioned in another thread that we donate part of our profits each year to lighthouse preservation. I think this year our focus may be on the Clarks.

Wow! That would be great Roland!

thanks

Bob, could you post an address, or some sort of contact information, so that anyone reading this thread, (myself included), would be able to either send a contribution or, at least, just write a note to the Clarks with support for their cause? Thanks.

Roland, if you scroll up you will find the Clark's address on the copy of their "business card" that Bob posted a photo of some time back.

Lockwood (Lucky) Sr. suffered a stroke some time back and isn't doing all that well. His sister Ericka who used to live on her own at the Isle La Motte light fell and broke her hip a few years ago. After rehab she went to live with the Clarks in their home but now she's in a nursing home in Plattsburg, NY. Then just before Thanksgiving Lucky's wife was rushed to the hospital with Spiral Meningitis. Now she's home recuperating from that, slowly. So it's been a pretty tough year on the family. Rob is their only child and is self-employed so it's been quite a hard time for him lately taking care of his folks and not being able to work much.

While our policy here on the forums has always been to exclude donations to owners of privately owned lighthouses I'm sure that if anyone wanted to send them a personal donation it would be appreciated. Not that I'm soliciting for them on behalf of the forums. Any donations would be strictly up to the individual. Just a note to the family expressing them well wishes and appreciation for their efforts in preserving the lighthouses would be a nice gesture.

Rob tried the internet from home for a while without much success, then went to the local library to try but I guess he didn't quite get the hang of it and didn't really have the time to pursue it further. He does know about us so if you do correspond do say that you're a member of the HL Collector Forums and tell him a bit about yourself.

I talked to Rob Clark yesterday, and he said he was before the Supreme Court again last week, and expected a decision in 4 weeks.

Bringing to the top for the Clark's.

I spoke with Rob Clark a few times in the past week and found out that he and his Mom Claire are doing well but are having a hard time without Lucky.
Some good news is that the won their 'right of way' case in the Supreme Court for the second time!
On June 12th there is a Lake Champlain Celebration at Isle La Motte. There will be a seminar and then a climbing.

The Clark's are also starting to sell the Harbour Lights "Windmill Point Lighthouse" - all proceeds go to maintenance costs at both lighthouses. Right now the Clarks are paying all the expenses (including the right of way legal expenses} on thier own. I spoke to Rob about setting up a non-profit to help him in the future
needs. He thought that was a good idea and would persue it.

This family has never asked for any help as they struggle to maintain both of the lighthouses. There only hope was to get some replicas made to celebrate there lighthouse.

I've made a contribution to get them going in there gift shop. If any of you need a HL Windmill Point or want to make a contribution for
lights, I'm sure it will be greatly appreciated.

Thsnks,
Bob

]


PS
When the current fund raising events on this website end, I'll set up an Opportunity drawing for these lights.

I'd also would like to start a ground swell here for a new Limited Edition Isle La Motte, and new Little Lights for both lights to help raise them some money by having them available through their gift shop. The Clarks have shown that a little money but lots of hard labor and elbow grease can go a long way!

Rob Clark told me he had a great turnout for his Windmill Point Celebration day as part of the Lake Champlain 400th Anniversary!

Well the circle is now closed. I finally made the trek up to see these two magnificent LIGHTHOUSES. I did a behind the scenes tour and got the lowndown from Rob on how he and his Dad, Lucky, restored and maintained these two beautiful lighthouses. These were the first two lightouses that were relit on Lake Champlain.

I can't believe it took me 11 years, 1 month & 1 day to get there since my first post.

My next quest is to get Rob to document, all the stories he told me,
AND
Get Harry to make Isle la Motte!

Good for you Bob! Where there is a will there is a way. Will you be posting new pictures for comparison?

So glad you were finally able to see these two lighthouses. Thanks to your connection with Lucky & Rob that I was able to see these a couple of years ago with Pixie and friends. They are worth the trip.

Coimcidentally the roof at Windmill Point is the same architectural shakes as my roof!



Rob & Claire Clark at Windmill Point

Ckick here for more

We just met Rob and Claire at the NELL Lake Champlain event. They were so gracious to us letting everyone climb both lighthouses and telling us all about the history of these lights. It is such a shame they had to endure two lawsuits due to the nasty neighbors but at least they won them all the way to the Supreme Court!

We also got to meet Greg (Seagirt) who was attending the event so that was a treat too!

Bill and Judy

Somehow I missed you guys on Saturday cruise???

Yes, I can't believe we didn't know you were there. I bet if we saw your pic we would recognize you.

Judy

Green yankees baseball cap and shorts. I was all over the top deck. With the Bradys and Clarks most of the time. I didn't know Greg was there until the end. I saw him several times on board but didn't recognise him since the last time we saw him was 4 years ago.

I missed Fran too!

I'll have to check out my photos. Sorry to have missed you. It was a fun trip and we always enjoy seeing old friends and meeting new ones at those events.

Judy

Also too bad we didn't have our name badges that Dave use to make. They were always great at helping recognize one another.

Judy