September 21, 2006

Point Lookout Lighthouse Newsletter #12

Maryland Lighthouse Challenge

The 4^th Annual Maryland Lighthouse Challenge was held on September 16 and 17, 2006 and was a great success.  The Challenge is a weekend long adventure to see all of Maryland’s land-based lights and one lightship.  A commemorative postcard was given out at each location.

Point Lookout Lighthouse welcomed 917 visitors!  Among the visitors were people from the countries of Finland and Columbia; and the states of Maryland, New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, North and South Carolina, Delaware and Texas.  We also were visited by descendants of Keeper William Yeatman.

Robert and Laura were among the volunteers for the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society.  Other volunteers from the Chapter were Sandra Sableski, Glenn and Linda Herman, Jane Morgan, Chuck Kohls and Denise Reichard.  Thanks to all the volunteers for all their hard work in greeting visitors to the Point Lookout Lighthouse.
 

Eunice Metevier Knott volunteered over the weekend and talked about her experiences while living in the Point Lookout Lighthouse from 1939 to 1952.

The Department of Natural Resources also provided volunteers and staff and helped to make this weekend a complete success. 

Robert and Laura were curious about the state of the basement after the flooding two weeks prior from Ernesto.  The basement had a thick layer of mud covering the entire basement and other than some swelling of the wooden doors, the lighthouse didn’t appear to suffer any other damage.  The buoy depot and coal shed buildings were not so lucky.  We could see visible damage of the roof, siding and windows of these buildings.  We were not able to view them during the Challenge and will assess the damage at a later time.

The next Open House will be on October 7, 2006.  Robert Hall will be there to meet and greet!  See you there.