Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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103 Committee, works to preserve the two islands off Rockport. Here exist some of the most dangerous coastal waters in the world cou- pled with the menacing Londoner Reef. John Hancock in 1771 petitioned the British government to build two lighthouses "for the safety of his own and other ships." en, only Boston Light and Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse in New Hampshire shared beams to guide incoming ships to America, deceiving mariners during dire weather. Two distinctive towers, 45 feet high, were erected on acher Island and lighted the first time in December, and soon gained the nickname "Ann's Eyes." Almost a century later in 1861, two new 124-foot granite lighthouses were built. During the "Perfect Storm" in 1991, acher Island was split in half with the fero- cious Atlantic raging in the middle for about 24 hours. An oft-told seafaring tale St. Germain likes to tell rings of truth and romance. In 1919, the ship carrying Woodrow Wilson returning from the ratification of the Treaty of Ver- sailles, was locked in fog and missed catas- trophe at the last minute when the vigilant lightkeeper repeatedly blasted the fog signal. During research for the National Historic Landmarks' nomination of the island, St. Germain found a photograph of Franklin D. Roosevelt next to the president. Roosevelt was secretary of the Navy. But a sea change in advanced navigational tools and GPS units shifted the paradigm in the 1960s. "e need for lighthouses has diminished to almost zero," St. Germain says. So now, tradition, restoration, and nos- talgia must unite in battle to preserve this precious heritage of American history. Dolin says, "You cannot understand or appreciate the development of the colonies, and then the nation, without understanding and appreciat- ing the history of lighthouses. ey are that integrally connected." e National Historic Lighthouse Preser- vation Act in 2000 created a mechanism to dispose of these structures. e U. S. Coast Guard manages the transfers of ownership at no cost. First claims are offered, prefer- ably to cities and nonprofits. When no proper Coast Guard Lieutenant David T. Bourbeau, Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse in New Castle, New Hampshire. caretakers come forward, they're auctioned for private ownership. Apse wanted especially to include a segment on acher Island because of the "Fresnel lens angle." ese powerful lenses, invented by French physicist Augustine-Jean Fresnel in the 19th century, revolutionized lighthouse projection by means of six orders of lenses, each helping to magnify the beam of light. acher Island's first-order Fresnel lens was installed in 1861. In 1980 the lens was removed as an arti- fact for display at the Coast Guard Museum at New London, Connecticut. Meanwhile, disposition of the lens in the North Tower resulted in a snafu. It was carelessly thrown out and crashed to the ground. Over the years scattered pieces have been discovered. In one instance, St. Germain found a crystal piece on eBay used for lighting a bathroom in Rockport, and he quickly purchased it for display in the visitor's center. e Association took steps to return the intact light to Rockport. But Coast Guard restrictions insisted that it could be in- stalled only in a humidity-and-temperature- controlled, dust-free environment. No such place large enough existed in Rockport. Enter the Cape Ann Museum in Glouces- ter. With its new expansion underway, the museum board was thrilled to offer gallery space for the restored Fresnel lens for all to experience up close. Apse says, "It's a very unique story." Eric Dolin believes that "it's a wonder- fully filmed documentary. I'd like viewers to enjoy the beauty of the film and the images that they see fly across the screen. It would be great if the documentary encourages some of the viewers to take the next step, which may be reading about lighthouses, visiting a local lighthouse, or joining an organization whose main purpose is to pre- serve and protect lighthouses, so that future generations can enjoy them as well." To Apse, "Lighthouses have shown a stability in people's minds. e film reveals a time when the interactions of humans to other humans helped mariners to survive. It didn't matter who you were or where you came from. Lighthouses are important symbols we need today in the turmoil of the political climate." thelastlightkeepers.com