I thought this was interesting enough to pass it along -


http://www.memoriesofmispillion.com/

Mispillion Light in Delaware
Lit: June, 1873

Lost: May 2, 2002

Mispillion Light has stood at the mouth of the Mispillion River since 1873. In early May, the lighthouse was tragically lost to fire after being hit by lightning in an early morning storm. Many will miss this landmark of Slaughter Beach that was on the verge of being restored by "Keepers of the Mispillion Light."

You can help save the memory of Mispillion Light by joining in the fight to convince Harbour Lights to include a replica of Mispillion in an upcoming series of collectibles. Harbour Lights is the premier lighthouse collectible, and I can think of no better way to immortalize this lighthouse so tragically lost just before she could be saved.

This site is dedicated to gathering a minimum of 1000 signatures to present to Mr. Bill Younger, president and founder of Harbour Lights to show support of such a replica. Please take a moment to read through the site and sign the petition. With your help, we can assure that the memory of this timeless sentinel will live on for generations to come.

so many lighthouses are so isolated that fire departments would have a very difficult time getting to the lighthouse. Then,once there, they would have a more difficult time getting water set up for continuous flow to put the fire out unless they could draft from the sea/ocean. Of course, with the oil supply, in the old days, possibly being nearby, things could really get exciting real fast.

Sounds like a great idea to me! I just signed the electronic petition as the 267th person to do so.

Bob

Robert and I both signed the petition. I hope you get enough signatures. I would love to see Harbour Lights do Mispillion.

Joyce

I remember Mispillion Light very well im only about 10 miles from it. So far I got about 6 people to sign the petition.

I remember the Mispillion very well as my grandparents had a cottage at Slaughter Beach. I visited it many times when I was little which was a few years ago. I would also like to see Harbour Lights come out with a version of it.
Hal

I signed that petition sometime last year and I think the number (267) was on the page then.

I emailed Jen to find out if this was still an active campaign a couple of days ago and here is her reply [in part]:

So if you haven't signed the petition, it's not too late to do so.

Darlene

I feel this is a great Idea and a wonderful way to support the memory of the light. I never got to see this one and it was on my list. We already have a reminder od the Cleveland light so this one would fit right in.

Hi everyone! I just wanted to stick my head in and say thanks for helping me out and signing the petition and rallying for support. I am up to about 700 signatures and will be updating the site shortly. I will be meeting with Nancy Younger at Hereford Lighthouse during the NJ LIghthouse Challenge to let her know to expect the signatures soon. I have also been thinking about taking the next big leap and starting a non-profit group dedicated to rebuilding the lighthouse in full scale...i mean, why settle for one only 6 inches tall, right? The ideas are still forming, but I think that it would be feasible...might take years to accomplish, but it would be worth the wait. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions about such a project I'm anxious to hear them...

Thanks again for all your support! Keep watching the website for more information and pictures from the meeting with Mrs. Younger.

-Jen King

I want to applaud you for your efforts Jen. I was fortunate enough to see Mispillion 2 years ago along with some other members of this forum who went on a tour after the reunion in Baltimore. As I recall, it was sort of a last minute addition because some of the lighthouses we had originally planned to see (Cape Henry, Old Point Comfort) were closed due to security reasons after Sept 11. Things happen for a reason and I can say that I am now very happy to have had the opportunity to visit it. It wasn't in great shape when we saw it, but I thought it had an unique and beautiful design. Good luck in your efforts and I will treasure the Harbour Lights replica when it is made (and I am sure it will be made).

Jen, that sounds like a great idea to try to build a replica. I would start with contacting the owner of the land. I thought he tore it down and has stored whatever remains there were somewhere, but no one know where that is or what he plans to do or did with them. There was an organization originally who were going to restore it. I believe they donated the funds they had to the DRBLHF. Their website is www.delawarelights.org. Hope some of this helps you get started.

Joyce

It's good to see that this thread had some excellent posts! Best of luck with the campaign!

Okay, fast forward....the petition succeeds, Harbour Lights decideds to make Mispillion. How do they sculpt it?

Do they sculpt it like we all remember it, with busted and boarded windows, tall weeds growing out of the mud, holes in the roof and the red siding falling off?

Do they sculpt it like it looked before it started to deteriorate, solid windows, no holes in the roof, no weeds and the red siding?

Or do they sculpt it like this picture , with a nice front porch, a rail around the lantern room and white siding?

When she was still standing, I always though that they should do it as she stood, with the possibility of doing a later restored piece. Now that she's gone, I would vote for option two above. It would be little like we all remember, but with some dignity.

As far as rebuilding, if a group ever gets going to do it, count me in. I am afraid though, that it would have to be a complete replica, probably off-site (possibly Ship Carpenter Square in Lewes?) My theory, feeling, hypothysis, guess, is that not too much of the original structure really is stored in a secret place. The cynic in me tells me that "secret location" was the county rubble fill. I hope that I am wrong. I do believe that I read that the DRBLHF did obtain the top of the lantern room that landed at the front door after the lightning strike. At least that could be integrated in to a replica.

I'd vote for your plan, Larry. And it would be nice NOT to have the 'windmill' tower and to include the model-T (if that's what that is)

I would prefer a sculpture depicting the light in all its glory and not in the dilapitated condition it was in before it was destroyed by lightning.

We don't need a depressing sculpture. We need one to make us smile! I concur with JC and Larry on their view.

Bob

In all its glory! Yes!

Bert

I agree that now that the light is gone, the Harbour Lights piece should be as it was in its golden era. Call me strange, but when I first saw the lighthouse, the thing which I thought was really unique and cool about Mispillion was that rounded stone "cap" on the chimney.

I agree, it should be depicted in all her glory!

In it's glory, for sure. Then, there will only be our pictures for the memories of what she looked like before her demise.

Joyce

All of these ideas are fantastic, and I am keeping them all on file! YOu guys don't know how much it means to me to hear people as avid as myself in seeing her remembered. Thanks for all your continued support. I am meeting with Nancy Younger this weekend, be sure to check the website sometime next week to see how it went as I will post an update there. Thanks again for all your support, and just for the record, I'd like to see the replica look like she did in her glory days, before the broken windows and missing shingles, it's basically how I never saw her...

Thanks again, everyone! Keep in touch!
-Jen King