Does anyone know if there are any legal restrictions to using a photo, drawing, or likeness of a real lighthouse on a Club logo, application form, etc?

I am NOT talking about using a copyrighted photo.

Suzanne Murphy

Since you excluded the photograph or drawing which might be copyrighted by the photographer or artist, the only lighthouse I know of which would not permit your use of its likeness would be Sea Pines (Hilton Head) SC. This lighthouse was privately designed, built and is privately owned.

Basing your embroidered image on someone's copyrighted photograph might not be a fair use of the copyrighted image. You'd be better to take your own image.

This would not be true of some buildings. Some would be in the public domain such as US Government buildings (The White House, The Washington Monument, etc.)

But even though some buildings (Beaumont Tower at Michigan State University) are on state-owned land, MSU expects a royalty payment for use of any image such as on a sweatshirt, etc.

this is probably a question for a lawyer. Taking pictures of lighthouses in the public domain for private use is most likely okay. The question is whether lighthouses are in the public domain or under someone's ownership. If the Coast Guard is caring for a lighthouse, does it "own" the light? If an organization is caring for a light, does it "own" it? My guess is that even though we take our own picture, we can't use them for commercial purposes.

Suzanne, our club used the tower of the Charlotte-Genesee lighthouse. One of our memembers drew up a design and we used it. No problems that I'm aware of.