Traveling Lighthouses

I was amazed how fascinating the view up here! The Harbour Town light was privately built in 1969 (my year of birth) and is a private aid navigation. It is the most recognizable symbol of Hilton Head Island and Sea Pines Resort. It is 90 feet tall with hexagonal shape and red and white bands.  It's a cute little tower with an amazing view on top.  The golf tour in South Carolina has helped increase the fame of the lighthouse to golf fans worldwide.  There are plenty of things to do when visiting the Hilton Head.  Eating ice cream after going up to the top of the lighthouse is one.    If I will choose the top five on my lighthouse list, this would be one of them.      

Serenity and beauty.  This is how I would describe this place.   West Point Lighthouse or also known as Discovery Park Lighthouse is an active aid to navigation on Seattle Washington's West Point. It was constructed in 1881 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Discovery Park is the city's largest public park, and this lighthouse is a main feature of the park. We didn't get to see the inside of the lighthouse.  However, we absolutely enjoyed the stunning view of this place.  My weekend visit to my son, Jonathan was supplemented by seeing another beautiful lighthouse!

This lighthouse is not the typical looking lighthouse and may not be as beautiful as other lighthouse, but it has been a guiding light for 120 years. It was originally built in 1895 on Dog Island.  The 103 foot iron and steel structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is l ocated at Carrabelle Beach in a forest habitat with a public park. There's a replica of the Keeper's House that serves as a historic museum and gift shop. Rain was about to pour and it prevented me from climbing to the top.  I watched the lighthouse and the dark sky from the Keeper's house. He was nice to let me to take photos on the first few steps of the stair. It was almost a day of driving to visit  two lighthouses on Florida's "Forgotten Coast"  on my birthday. It was a relaxing day well spent. A peaceful drive to see the countryside is always a part of my lighthouse journey.   

We rarely see a lighthouse in the middle of a city.  Here, I found one in New York City! Blackwell Island Lighthouse is also known as Welfare Island Lighthouse or Roosevelt Island Lighthouse, located at the tip of Roosevelt Island.  It was built by NY City in 1872 and was designated a NY City Landmark in 1976. A little history about Roosevelt Island billeted the Smallpox Hospital, the first hospital in the US to receive smallpox patients.  It is now a crumbling ruin and known as the "most haunted place in NYC." One of the things I like about this lighthouse is the piece of Memoriam on the ground.  It says like this - In Memory of Vicki Holland  "A warm, compassionate woman who loved life and living and shared freely of herself with our community.  By speaking out, she helped create a beacon of light to reach into the shadows where most disabled persons have been forced to exist, away from society's mainstream.  Her courage, spiri

"No Lighthouse Access!" It wasn't open, and all we could do is view the Alki Point Light from outside the fence. The lighthouse is located on Puget Sound's Alki Point, the southern entrance to Seattle's Elliot Bay.  History says that the first unofficial light established at Alki Point was a kerosene lantern hung on a barn's side in 1870 by the property owner and farmer Hans Martin Hanson.  Later, the US Lighthouse Board recognized the need for an official light and placed a lens lantern atop a wooden post at the point. Mr. Henson was then assigned to be the lightkeeper. It was sold to the government in 1910 by his son. The present structure was constructed in 1913 and remains in the hands of the US Coast Guard. It was a nice drive with my son Jonathan to see another historic lighthouse from afar. At least, I've learned its history.