Tag Archives: memorial

Reprint – Restoring Canaveral Light – Brick by Brick!

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Restoring Canaveral Light – Brick by Brick!

 

The mission statement of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation is  “To Assist the 45th Space Wing in preserving, protecting, and interpreting the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse and its historical significance to the Florida Space Coast, State of Florida, and our Nation.” The US Air Force owns and maintains Cape Canaveral Light, but the Foundation exists to be of assistance in its restoration and to share its remarkable history.

In many ways Cape Canaveral and the Lighthouse is a bridge between the age of exploration and exploration yet to come; a bridge between the sea and the stars!

On October 13th, 2012 I attended a gathering at the Canaveral Lighthouse with my father to celebrate the progress having been made on the restoration of this special and significant beacon. Although, we had visited the light by special permission a couple of years ago in order to photograph, I did not then have the opportunity to see the interior of the tower. Saturday, October 13th, could not have been a more perfect day to gather, discuss goals, walk the newly built Keeper’s Brick Paver Walkway, and climb!! I have to say right here that I was amazed that my 88 year old father was able to navigate the stairs better than I did!  The metal lighthouse is lined with brick and the winding stairs curl upwards around a center pole with no hand railing along the brick walls. Of course, it was probably because I was lugging my heavy camera!! Probably!! Continue reading Reprint – Restoring Canaveral Light – Brick by Brick! →

Here is a Way to Help Support People and Save Lighthouses

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Children's Memorial stones at Edgarton Lighthouse

The idea is very simple, and was given to me by the Edgarton Lighthouse Children’s Memorial article in The Martha’s Vineyard Times. The people built a memorial walkway around the lighthouse and “envisioned a smooth sea of stone around the base of the lighthouse, a terrace paved with small granite blocks engraved with the names of children who had died.” 

“Today, the memorial — a simple, elegant plaza around the base of the lighthouse that bears the names of 542 children gone before their time — is a source of comfort to bereaved family members and friends.”

“New stones are engraved and placed . . . twice a year; a map and list at the site indicates the position of each child’s stone. An engraved stone may be purchased for $250 US, a cost that hasn’t changed since the memorial began.”

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A plaque in the Memorial Wall in Prince Rupert for a friend of mine

Now this idea does not have to be only about children who died. How many of you have been to the city of Prince Rupert, BC, Canada? There they have two large “Memorial Walls” – “There is one wall for those that died at sea and one wall for those that lived by and loved the sea.”

The last time I checked Prince Rupert charges $175 CDN for a brick in their memorial wall and “Since the first order of bricks were received in August 1991 there are now over 950 memorial bricks placed in the walls“. 

It does not matter how much is charged, or for who the memorial is for, but a lighthouse is a great place to construct something like this. It helps pay for support and maintenance of the lighthouse, and as the lighthouse brings comfort to mariners, the memorial stones bring comfort to those who lost a a friend or family member.