I hate to rain on everyone's parade...but, now that Cape Hatteras is safe, I'd like to remind everyone about the sorry state of Morris Island. As the "Now" Harbour Lights figure accurately portrays, it sits on a shallow sandbar off Folly Beach...its foundation immersed in water...just waiting for a hurricane or strong storm to topple it. The good news is that earlier this year it was purchased by a private group dedicated to saving it. The group has also received some state funding in the amount of $500,000. Although it has fallen into neglect it is still a beautiful tower worthy of saving for future generations.
If you are interested in learning more about the effort to save it, go here:
www.savethelight.org/

Now let me get off my soapbox,

Doc John

To make the link active...

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 07-19-99).]

[This message has been edited by DocJ44 (edited 07-21-99).]

When I was in Florida earlier this month, I heard that there is going to be some dredging in the area and that the dredged "stuff" is going to be dumped at the base of the Morris Island light. Anyone have more info on that?

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

Hey Doc,

I do agree with you that Morris Island is unique and needs help. Have you seen the artwork with her as the focal point? Jim Booth has really captured her in all types of weather and lighting.

Plan to join her society later this year.

Moby of Tidewater Virginia

Here's a new link to the Morris Island site:
http://www.savethelight.org/linkpage.htm

I am going to figure the average amount of money I have spent on a single Harbour Lights piece over the past year and donate it to this group. I challenge all you other collectors out there to meet or beat my donation!

Doc John

Your on!

Moby

I was given a Jim Booth painting of "First Light"...Morris Island in the early dawn, absolutely beautiful...I applaud those undertaking the effort to save this majestic beacon...they - like the St. George Reef Preservation Society - have their hands completely full!

Rock,

Was First Light a limited number?

Why has the St. George Reef been excluded from my attempts to bring it up?

Moby

Doc,

My real reason for being drawn to Morris Island is that my family were keepers to her twin sister, Bodie Island. If they would preserve and paint her, what apair they'd make in a painting.

Moby

I remember reading once Moby that the towers at Bodie Island and Currituck/Corolla are identical brick for brick with the exception of the painting of the tower. I was wondering if the same was true for Morris Island. In its heyday when Morris Island was freshly painted, I would say the two towers would have looked identical but I'm not sure if the dimensions were actually the same or not. I also visited Pigeon Point last year and noticed there was a great similarity between it and Bodie, Currituck and Morris Island...it is an "east coast" type tower lighthouse that was built around the same time as the other three.

Doc John

The key to this family nof lights is the tower shap and the iron work under the gallery rail. HL LE of them all shows intricate iron work under the gallery rail. It is small but there.

In real life, Bodie Island has very intricate work under this gallery rail. It is rusting badly.

Has anyone looked at Currituck, Morris Island and Pigeon Point for this detail? Their towers even though verying in height, have the same basic design.

Point Lookout does not show the intricate work that these four show on the HL Le models.

Moby

Don't have Bodie but I have Morris (then) and Currituck. How about the Keeper's houses? Surely they are pretty much identical. Same architect?

Moby,

I can't answer for Pigeon Point or Morris Island, but here are the lanterns from Bodie and Currituck for comparison.

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=42289&a=282922&p=10899698&Sequence=1[/img]

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=42289&a=282945&p=10899813&Sequence=1[/img]



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-Art

We were just at Hunting Island last week, and as Sean said there is the remains of a second order lens on display that is listed as from Morris Island (but very simmilar to the Hunting Island lens) and also the same plaque says the Hunting Island lens was removed in the 1930's and it's whereabouts are unknown. Could the lens at Pigeon Point be the old Hunting Island lens ? Is the lens at Pigeon Point a second order ?

Thanks Art,

A picture is worth a thousand words at times.

All of you lighthousers, look and Morris Island and Pigeon Point and see if the iron knobs are below the gallery rail like those in Art's pictures.

These are sister lights.

Mark,

The Morris Island original house was a replica of Currituck. She had the markings of Bodie Island. In her day, she was a real showplace of the old south.

Moby

...and here is one from the left coast. This one (Yaquina Head, OR) is similar, too.

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=42289&a=403808&p=11302252[/img]

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-Art
[This message has been edited by Art (edited 07-26-99).]

Art,

Yaquina Head is a real surprise. Model was not as detailed in the early years so it was not evident on the model. Same detail in the flesh. Thanks.

Moby

Mark, according to the published sources in my personal library, Pigeon Point has a first order lens.

Doc,

Just thought of 2 more that have the fancy gallery rail underlayment. Cape Hatteras and Saint Augustine. Anyone have pictures of those?

Moby

Hatteras may not have the ornamental pieces under the gallery rail? Anyone have a picture?

Jim Booth's art shows ornamentation at Morris Island.

Moby

I don't have a scanner, but the photos of Cape Hatteras I've taken show the ornamental work with knobs under the gallery rail. My pictures of Morris Island are too distant to show such detail. However, the photos from Roberts and Jones "Southern Lighthouses" does indeed show the identical ornamental work beneath the gallery rail as Bodie Island, Currituck, et al.

Doc John

Doc John,

So we have proof of the following with the ornamental work.
Bodie
Currituck
Yaquina Head
Hatteras
Morris Island
St. Augustine

6 with proof so far. We must save Morris Island.

Can anyone add proof for others? How about Pigeion Point? Mike checked out Fire Island and she does not have it.

Moby of Tidewater Virginia

These were both shot in the early morning hours and there isn't much detail in the blacks but I think they may show what you are looking for.



WackoPaul '
Keep the Flame

I just check my lighthouse photo album. I got several good close-ups of Pigeon Point last year. There are obvious "knobs" dangling below the gallery rail!

Doc John

Now we have 7, that includes Pigeon Point, in the gallery rail connection. Anyone have another to add?

Moby of Tidewater Virginia

I believe Hunting Island and Staten Island also have similar metalwork as the others. (probably not identical though)

Cape Elizabeth's is very similar, but at a smaller scale.

Nauset, Neddick, Race Point, Warwick, SE Block Island, & quite a few others all have ornate gallery brackets with small decorative finials, but they are different in design than the "tall towers", of course.

---

Rod Watson
_{[This message has been edited by Rod Watson (edited 08-02-99).]}

Thanks Rod,

Do you have any pictures of these lights.

Moby

Here is a great picture of Morris Island that forwarded to me showing the metal work.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=60127&a=430763&p=11393083

Doc John

changed the image to a url to click on and get the picture


[This message has been edited by engbrady (edited 08-02-99).]

Since the message above was first written, the "photo" has been changed to a hyperlink to the Morris Island photo in my gallery. Enjoy it!

Doc john

[This message has been edited by DocJ44 (edited 08-02-99).]

[This message has been edited by DocJ44 (edited 08-02-99).]

DocJ44,

Visit the next chat if you can.

Also, look at last forum about a movie I just saw.

Moby

Here is a picture of the lantern room of Cape Hatteras
[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=40133&a=450398&p=11483202&Sequence=1[/img]
picture was taken July 16th, 1999

Good Evening,
Just read thread for the first time. It is a very interesting discussion. Thanks to all the contributors.
Derith

I recently visited Folly Beach and photographed Morris Island. It is really sad to see her sitting there waiting for destruction. It reminds me of the S.S. United States rusting away at a pier in Delaware. If enough Harbour Lights people write their congressmen, something might be done to save her.

I just thought I would add a link to the webpage on the history of Morris Island, for those who aren't familiar with some of the history of the light.

www.savethelight.org/longhist.htm

Maybe we should call Morris Island Lighthouse "The Cat" since it apparently has 9 lives like a cat.

Saint WackoPaul'
Keep the Flame

As Hurricane Floyd now heads toward the Carolinas with its powerful winds and storm surges, we can only wait and hope that this extremely vulnerable light will survive.

Doc John

Anyone near Charleston, SC, who can report on Morris Island Light's condition after Lloyd?

Moby