For over 35 years
The Lighthouse Preservation Society is the nonprofit organization that has made lighthouse preservation a national issue with Congressional hearings, conferences, the sponsorship of National Lighthouse Day and its celebrations, the nomination of 30 U.S. lighthouse stamps, and the raising of nearly $6 million for over 160 lighthouse projects.
This prestigious group is also the recipient of a Presidential Achievement Award from the federal government for its efforts to preserve our lighthouse heritage.
A summary of our services include:
We are dedicated to
1. Providing…
- Lighthouse appraisals
- Lighthouse tours
- Free lighthouse guide brochures
- Communications network
- Programmatic uses of lighthouses
- Lighthouse lectures, slide shows, and exhibitions
- Information on available federal funds
- Listings of privately-owned lighthouses for sale
- Ideas for lighthouse celebration
2. Assisting in…
- National Register nomination
- Local, private, and public fundraising
- Tech help to states, municipalities, and nonprofits
- Planning grants, seed funds, and catalyst funding
- Securing lighthouse press coverage
- Preservation easements
3. Advocating…
- Within Coast Guard, Congress, and state agencies
- Informing communities of lighthouse availability
- Coordination of cooperative lighthouse advocacy
4. Preservation services…
- Lighthouse Assessments
- Referrals of preservation architects & contractors
- Gathering of historical materials
- Locating lighthouse lenses
- Assistance in relighting towers
- Manufacturing of historic lighthouse replica replacement parts and Brass Vents
5. Consulting with…
- Hollywood for scenes involving lighthouses
- Academy of Sciences Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
- U.S. Postal Service for the lighthouse stamp series
The Highland Lighthouse
The Highland Lighthouse, sometimes known as the "Cape Cod Light", guards the tall cliffs of the outer Cape in Truro, Massachusetts. With the rapid erosion of the sandy bluffs, it became necessary to save the historic tower and keeper's house by moving them back to a safer location. One third, or $500,000 of the $1.5 million cost to move the structures was supplied by the state's lighthouse fund that was successfully lobbied for and established by The Lighthouse Preservation Society.
Portland Breakwater Light - Portland Maine
Great Point Light
Straitsmouth Island Light
Thacher Island Light Station
Roanoke River Light
The Roanoke River Light in Edenton, North Carolina was in rough condition when The Lighthouse Preservation Society was hired to appraise this last surviving screwpile lighthouse in the state. It had once stood on stilts in the Albemarle Sound at the mouth of the Roanoke River. Concerned about the future of this one-of-a-kind structure, we worked with the owner and the town to successfully find state funding to purchase this unusual square screwpile lighthouse. State funds were then used to move it to the nearby old colonial capitol's waterfront, restore it, and transfer the ownership to the Edenton Historical Society to be opened as a museum.
Lighthouse Preservation Stamps
One of the most popular and successful stamp series in the history of the U.S. Postal Service has been the America's lighthouses series, which was comprised of 6 sets of 5 stamps, released between the years of 1990 and 2013. The series was nominated by The Lighthouse Preservation Society's president and founder, James Hyland, and many of the stamps were based on his photographs, such as the famous candy cane striped West Quoddy Head Light in northern Maine. Hyland's photograph and the artist's illustration are featured here, side by side.
