MG, You and Laura share this one, as the lighthouse is Sturgeon Point and the door is covered with Marsden Matting.

Wikipedia has a more-current detailed description and picture. Their 2006 description was “Marsden Matting was extensively used during World War II by Seabees (Construction Battalions) and other front line construction personnel to build runways and other readily usable surfaces over all kinds of terrain in the Pacific Theater of Operations.
“The matting consisted of steel strips with holes punched through and U-shaped channels formed between the holes, with hooks along one long edge and slots along the other long edge so that they could be connected to each other. The hooks were usually maintained in the slots by a steel clip that filled the part of the slot that is empty when the adjacent sheets are properly engaged together. The holes were upset at their edges so that the beveled edge stiffened the area around the hole. In some situations a T-shaped stake could be driven, at intervals, through the holes to keep the assembly in place on the ground.
“On Pacific islands the matting would typically have been covered with crushed and rolled coral or soil to form a level surface. The perforated and channeled design of the matting created strength and rigidity and facilitated drainage. A runway two hundred feet wide and 5,000 feet (1500 m) long could be created within two days by a small team of engineers.”

I questioned one of the guides when we there in August of 2006 and was told it was used to thwart entry into the lighthouse and prevent vandalism. Appears to have worked, as no one has gained unauthorized entry since its installation.



I came upon this unusual feature when it was printed on Lighthouse Friends' description of Sturgeon Point Lighthouse in 2006. They've changed their descriptions and that information is no longer included for this light, but I didn't know that until I looked at their site today. My next hint was going to be "airfield matting" which would have brought up Wikipedia's definition and picture and would probably be where at least Laura would have looked.