A few members of Wisconsin Lighthouse District (WILD) were invited to the private Invite Only Grand Re-Opening Ceremony for Raspberry Island Lighthouse on Sunday June 17, 2007. We have donated $3500 to the Friends of Apostle Islands to be used for Apostle Island Lighthouses. In February 2007, WILD donated $1000 to be used for displays and furnishings at Raspberry Island Lighthouse. They used our money well and the displays looked great.
As President, I planned to go as a representative of our club. No one else from WILD was able to go to the ceremony, so I invited my son and his girlfriend to go along with me. My son works for Wisconsin Governor Doyle, so we were able to get a proclamation from the Governor to present to the Apostle Island National Park Service to recognize the restoration of Raspberry Island Lighthouse. My son was appointed official representative of the Governor and he spoke at the ceremony. The ceremony was documented by PBS-Wisconsin Public Television for a future showing of "In Wisconsin".
It began with a ceremony in Bayfield, Wisconsin with speeches from Bob Krumenaker Superintendent of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, the National Park Service Regional Director, Bayfield Mayor Larry MacDonald, representative of Congressman Obey, representative of Senator Feingold, representative of Senator Kohl, and my son Patrick Murphy representing Wisconsin Governor Doyle. A special Proclamation was awarded to the National Park Service from Governor Doyle. Music was provided by singers from Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua.
After the ceremony, we boarded a boat to go to Raspberry Island. Aboard the boat we were served Chocolate Cake with Raspberry filling and Raspberry Apple Cider to drink. We heard more lighthouse songs by the Big Top Chautauqua singers. We docked at Raspberry Island Lighthouse and were greeted by the actor who plays the Raspberry Island Lighthouse Keeper. We participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony and then toured the lighthouse. The restoration of Raspberry Island Lighthouse looked great. They did a wonderful job.
Bob Krumenaker Superintendent of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Patrick Murphy presenting Wisconsin Governor's Proclamation to Bob Krumenaker
Wisconsin Governor's Proclamation
This is the wording on the Proclamation:
The State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
Certificate of Commendation
Whereas, the Apostle Island National Lakeshore is the Only National Park fully within the State of Wisconsin and is widely recognized as the jewel in the state’s crown; and
Whereas, according to maritime historian F. Ross Holland, “within the boundaries of Apostle Island National Lakeshore is the largest and finest single collection of lighthouses in the country”; and
Whereas, the Raspberry Island Lighthouse was placed in service in 1863, and remodeled from the ground up in 1906 to accommodate three keepers and their families; and
Whereas, despite the toll of time, Lake Superior, and the elements, the Raspberry Island Lighthouse, outbuildings, and grounds are enshrined on
the National Register of Historic Places; and
Whereas, exactly a century after it was rebuilt into its current configuration, the National Park Service has completed a major restoration of the Raspberry Island Lighthouse, returning it to its 1920s splendor, making it once again truly the “showcase of the Apostle Islands,”
Now, therefore, I, Jim Doyle, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, do hereby congratulate the National Park Service and the people of Wisconsin and the United states on this marvelous achievement which both preserves this important piece of America’s heritage and provides an unparalleled opportunity for education and enjoyment
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have
hereunto set my hand and caused the
Executive Privy Seal of the State of
Wisconsin to be affixed. Done at the
Capitol in the city of Madison and
presented this seventeenth day of June in
the year two thousand seven.
Jim Doyle
Raspberry Island Celebration cake - chocolate with raspberry filling
Raspberry Island Lightkeeper ready to greet us on the boat dock. Lake Superior water levels are down so the water depth at the dock was only 5 feet 6 inches.
Raspberry Island Lighthouse
Stairway from boat dock to Raspberry Island Lighthouse
Welcome to Raspberry Island of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Bob 
