Harbour Lights Lighthouses

#227 Cape Agulhas - S. Africa $72.99 #710 Hereford Inlet - New Jersey $75.00

#555 New Castle Rear Range - Delaware $60.00 (Membership Piece Only) NEW 2007!!!

#558 New Castle Front Range - Delaware $39.00 (Membership Piece Only) NEW 2007!!!

#555 Mussell Bed Shoal - Rhode Island $M.P. #190 Morris Island - S. Carolina $65.00

#226 White River - Michigan $73.00 #217 Sturgeon Bay Canal -Wisconsin $90.00

Assateague, Virginia

Harbour Lights GLOW Edition #425
$60.00 Open Edition

Lit in 1867, a few miles from the Maryland border, the 142-foot tower is one of the most striking sentinels on the Atlantic coast. Automated in 1965, the beautiful lighthouse resides on the property of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

Assateague VA joins Harbour Lights' Great Lighthouses of the World series. This beautiful sculpture measures 5" x 6" high and retails for $60.

A portion of the proceeds from sales of this G.L.O.W. will be donated to the historic or preservation society responsible for its maintenance.

Let's keep our lighthouses shining!

Old Point Comfort, Virginia

Harbour Lights Limited Edition #244
$82.00

Built on the grounds of Fort George in 1802, battles thundered nearby as the Light keepers endeavored to keep the sentinel lighted. During the War of 1812, British troops sailed into Chesapeake Bay and stormed Fort George. Despite having the lighthouse to act as a watchtower, the British lost an important battle. The 54-foot tower, the second oldest on Chesapeake Bay, stood within view during the battle of the Monitor and Merrimack.

Fort Monroe now stands on the site of old Fort George and remains an active military post. The lighthouse is in the middle of officers' row and the keepers quarters now serve as Army housing. A fourth order Fresnel lens still guides mariners into the harbor.

Wolf Trap Lighthouse
Virginia

HL282 Limited Edition

Introduced June 2002
$62.00

The HMS Wolfe sailed along the lower Chesapeake Bay, unaware that danger lay ahead. Concealed beneath the lapping waves and seemingly innocent passage was a sharp uprising that changed deep water into a shallow shoal. Without warning, the crew was swept off their feet with a great jolt. The ship had stuck, and it wasn’t moving. Three months later, the ship would still be standing at this very spot, unable to break free. Mariners aptly named this underwater hazard Wolf Trap after the 1691 grounding of the great HMS Wolfe.

With the increase in Bay traffic came the need for a marker at Wolf Trap. Officials established a Lightship at this spot in 1821, warning other vessels of the potential fatal hazard. For almost fifty years, Lightships were effective in guarding the shoal, but a more permanent marker was inevitably needed, so workers replaced the vessels with a screw pile light in 1870.

The sentinel’s fourth-order Fresnel lens provided both a fixed, white light and a flash every thirty seconds. The beacon was 38 feet above mean high water, supported by wooden pilings encased in cast-iron sleeves. Its weakness was exposed in 1893, when heavy ice floes severed the dwelling from its pilings and swept it 20 miles down the Bay. It was found, still floating, two days later about a mile north of Thimble Shoal. Only its roof and lantern room were above water. Salvagers towed the wreckage to the Portsmouth depot.

With their recent failure in mind, architects designed an entirely different sentinel for Wolf Trap, one that would resist the razor-sharp ice flows and stormy waves. A resilient Caisson foundation was laid in 1894, providing ample support for the two-story, Victorian dwelling placed above. Nearly identical to the sentinel at Smith Point, this lighthouse featured a square tower integrated with an octagonal dwelling. The tower height and focal plane were both at 52 feet, providing more than enough elevation for the Fourth order Fresnel lens to do its job.

Standing in only 16 feet of water, the beacon is situated on the eastern side of the Wolf Trap Spit, where the Rappahannock River enters the Chesapeake Bay. From this position, it has guided mariners for decades, bringing both mariners and their vessels safely home.

Wolf Trap was automated in 1971 and is an active aid to navigation. It is under the care of the U.S. Coast Guard and can be readily seen from land, but is most enjoyed from the deck of a passing ship.

This model stands approximately 6" tall with a base 5" in the longest dimension..

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Bald Head Lighthouse
North Carolina

HL442 Great Lighthouses of the World

At the southernmost point of North Carolina’s chain of barrier islands lies a place of remarkable beauty - Bald Head Island. Legendary in the maritime world, its ever-changing geography adds to its splendor, as well as its danger. Before the advancements of technology, American settlers had only maps, compasses and rudimentary light markers to use when approaching Cape Fear River. If you add-in rapidly forming (and disappearing) shoals, it’s amazing that ships were able to make it through at all.

The very first lighthouse in North Carolina was erected on Bald Head Island, right where navigators needed it the most. The perilous conditions near Bald Head Island were increased by the presence of the nearby Frying Pan Shoals. These hazardous underwater obstacles extend more than twenty miles south of nearby Bald Head Island, known in its early days as Smith Island.

The first step in building North Carolina’s first sentinel began with the approval of funds in 1784. The money was raised from duties levied on cargo carried along the Cape Fear River. Ten years later, the beacon was lit for the first time, guiding mariners for nearly two decades. During the War of 1812 a powerful waterspout destroyed the tower. (Its demise was inevitable, as erosion had been eating away at the foundation for years.)

Officials didn’t allow the light to remain dark for long. Congress appropriated funds for a replacement station, selecting a 95-foot octagonal brick tower for the new sentinel. Completed in 1818, this remarkable feat of engineering still stands strong, having been built of the very best materials of its time. The lighthouse, affectionately called “Old Baldy”, was originally lighted by fifteen whale oil lamps and reflectors and had a fixed white beacon with a focal plane of 109-feet above sea level. Although it was visible for 18 miles and was eventually refitted with a third order Fresnel lens, mariners still complained that the light was not powerful enough.

By the late 1880’s, it became apparent that the light at Bald Head was not sufficient to warn vessels of the nearby shoals. A lightship called the Frying Pan was put into place in 1894, and in 1903, a majestic lighthouse was constructed on the southeast corner of the island. The new Cape Fear Light sported a powerful first order Fresnel lens and could be seen by ships for 19 nautical miles. Old Baldy was relegated to a fourth order harbor light and deactivated in 1935.

Today, Bald Head Lighthouse stands within a beautiful natural environment. Most of the island’s 12,000 acres are forever preserved and protected from development. The sentinel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the public for climbing. Visitors can appreciate the spectacular view afforded by the lantern room and marvel at the station’s spacious interior due to the tower’s wide base. Bald Head Lighthouse is cared for by the Old Baldy Foundation and is accompanied by a reproduction of the 1850’s Keepers Quarters. Lighthouse enthusiasts can learn about life on Smith Island in that era and appreciate the nautical artifacts contained within the museum.

This model is 6" tall by 6" on the longest dimension of the base.

Introduced June 2002
Retail $45.00

Cape Lookout Lighthouse
North Carolina

HL441 Great Lighthouses of the World

The majestic beauty of North Carolina’s Outer Banks is infamous to nature lovers, historians and mariners. The very same features that make the area picturesque - jagged headlands and sandy shoals - give rise to treacherous waterways. At the south end of the Core Banks lies Cape Lookout, with its notorious Lookout shoals and a historic sentinel.

To warn mariners of the hazards of the “Horrible Headlands”, officials petitioned for a lighthouse in early 1800, completing the tower in 1812. Workers erected a brick sentinel and encased it with a wooden exterior. Then, to make the structure stand out against the sandy beaches, green vegetation and blue sky, painters encircled the tower with red and white horizontal stripes. As a daymark, Cape Lookout was a smashing hit. But in the early morning or late afternoon hours of misty fog, the beacon was all but obscured. Mariners complained of almost running aground because they couldn’t see the light.

To complicate the problem, the lantern’s glass required constant cleaning because the wicks smoked profusely and were difficult to keep trimmed. With thirteen lamps to care for, it was a losing battle. To remedy the situation, a first order Fresnel lens was placed in the tower in 1856.

Now that the brightness of the light was enhanced, the height of the tower needed to be increased as well. A new sentinel was completed in 1859 and the Fresnel lens transferred to the beacon. With a tower height of nearly 169 feet, Cape Lookout became the model for the tall, conical brick coastal lights. Its predecessor, the red and white-banded tower, remained nearby as a distinct daymark for twenty more years. Thankfully, the keeper didn’t have to trim the wicks so often, as the 201 steps to the top surely would have tired even the fittest individual. Now, mariners had nothing but praise for Cape Lookout, for the beacon was visible up to 25 miles out to sea on a clear evening.

Similar to many southern sentinels, Cape Lookout was darkened during the war. Confederate forces destroyed the lamp in one instance and blew up the stairs leading to the lantern room in another. Despite their best efforts, Cape Lookout endured and went on to serve as a model for Cape Hatteras, Bodie Island and other sentinels. It received its black and white-checkered pattern in 1873, after confusion between the different towers ensued. The same year, painters marked the Cape Hatteras tower and the brand new Bodie Island with their distinctive markings.

Cape Lookout was automated in 1950 and serves as an active aid to navigation to this day. Its first order Fresnel lens was transferred to Block Island Southeast Light when workers installed the present DCB-24 optic. The Keeper’s Quarters serve as a museum and the station is included on the North Carolina Registry of Natural Heritage.

This model is 6" tall by 6" on the longest dimension of the base.

Introduced June 2002
Retail $45.00

Bodie Island, North Carolina

HL447 Open Edition

Awaiting text

Introduced June 2003
Retail $45.00

Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

HL401R Great Lighthouses of the World

Cape Hatteras, beloved by lighthouse lovers around the nation, is a symbol of our nation’s maritime heritage and one of the most recognized lighthouses in the world. The arduous task of moving this beacon back from the tumulus waters of the Outer Banks was seemingly an impossible task, yet determination and perseverance made for a successful relocation and a historic moment in time.

From the beginning, dedicated individuals and preservation groups had brought the possible plight of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse to the forefront of media attention. These proactive lighthouse lovers fought battles as the entire nation debated the best course of action. Once the decision had been made to relocate the sentinel, the teetering task of moving the tower was underway. A nation held its breath as the International Chimney Corp. inched the lighthouse back from the turning waters, just as two potentially devastating hurricanes swept the North Carolina coast. Many speculate that the move came just in time, as the hurricanes could have potentially undermined the foundation of Cape Hatteras and tumbled it into the ocean.

Lighthouse lovers rejoiced when the tower came to rest on its new foundation. A relighting ceremony, which took place on November 13, 1999, brought scores of people who, through tears, witnessed their old friend come home again as the beacon flashed its light. The widespread news and media attention of the successful move and re-lighting of this sentinel brought hope to all lighthouse preservationists who are fighting their own battles to keep their beacons lighted.

Our newest Cape Hatteras rendition features the lighthouse as it appears now, after the historic move. The ocean no longer laps at the foundation and new hope for the sentinel’s future has sprung eternal. Cape Hatteras will continue to shine.

Introduced January 2002
Retail $50.00

Oak Island, North Carolina

HL445 Open Edition

A Message from Harbour Lights -

"We have decided to hold the introduction of the lighted Oak Island Glow piece until January 2004. We have had some quality control issues to resolve and feel it is best to wait and offer the best possible product to our valued consumers. We apologize for the delay and hope you will understand as we endeavor to serve you better. Thank you for your continued interest and support!"

Illuminating the entrance to the Cape Fear River, Oak Island Lighthouse is the most brilliant beacon in the United States.

Officials realized that a lighthouse on Oak Island was crucial in safely guiding mariners to the Cape Fear River entrance. Completed in 1958, Oak Island Lighthouse was the first sentinel built in the area in 54 years.

Using the Swedish-developed 'moving slip' form, workers erected a solid 169-foot tower of eight-inch reinforced concrete. Builders poured concrete into the form and once it dried, moved the form up to complete another section.

The walls are merely eight inches thick from bottom to top, unlike older brick lighthouses that were several bricks deep at the base and tapered to the top. The gray color bands are integrated into the concrete, so the tower never needs painting.

A helicopter lifted the heavy lighting equipment to the top of the tower and on May 15, 1958, the white beacon flashed for the first time. At 2,500,000 candlepower, Oak Island Lighthouse is second in brilliance only to a French light on the English Channel. The scorching heat generated by the Oak Island beacon is so intense that repairmen must wear protective clothing and work for short periods of time in the lantern room. The Charleston Lighthouse in South Carolina once exceeded the brightness of Oak Island, however, its beacon was dangerously intense, so it’s power was greatly reduced.

In 2002, the noble Keeper’s Quarters, resembling a Lifesaving Station of days past, burned to the ground in a massive inferno. The United States Coast Guard used the dwelling as a base of operations, housing personnel and historic records. The station was a total loss and the old station logs were destroyed, but fortunately no one was injured.

With plans for rebuilding the Keeper’s Quarters in the works, the Oak Island Lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation and will continue to illuminate the waters of the Outer Banks for generations to come.

Introduced January 2003
Retail $50.00

Currituck Beach, North Carolina

Harbour Lights Open Edition #436

W.J. Tate, keeper of Currituck Beach Light, received an unusual letter one day while tending his duties. His wife, the postmistress in Kitty Hawk, brought him his mail, noting the name on the return address - Wilbur and Orville Wright.

With curiosity, he opened the letter, revealing a correspondence from the legendary brothers. The two aerial pioneers were requesting information about the local topography, curious about the birds-eye view from the tower.

After disclosing their intentions to attempt human flight, keeper Tate and his wife eagerly joined in the quest, providing their assistance whenever possible. Because life at the isolated post at Currituck Beach provided little respite for its keepers, this exciting distraction was eagerly welcomed.

There was plenty of work to be completed at the lighthouse. Each day the Tate’s cleaned the lens, trimmed the wicks, wound the huge clock mechanism that rotated the beacon and finished all their duties in record time, hoping for a few extra minutes to donate to the flight project.

For three years, they provided tools, labor, meals and moral support for the Wright Brothers. Mrs. Tate lent her treadle sewing machine to the task of stitching the wing covers. Years after the momentous flight, Mr. Tate was able to view his lighthouse from above and made an aerial inspection of local lighthouses with his aviator son-in-law.

The lighthouse itself, with its unpainted red brick tower, stands 158 feet tall and flashes its first order Fresnel lens for 18 nautical miles. Visitors to the historic sentinel can climb the 214 winding steps to view the magnificent Outer Banks from high above, just as the Wright Brothers may have seen it on their first flight.

After years of exposure to the salty, oceanic environment, Currituck Beach Lighthouses began to corrode and needed considerable restoration. The International Chimney Corporation began refurbishing the ironwork, while the Outer Banks Conservationists, Inc. signed a fifty-year lease for residential privileges. Even though the keeper's house was falling into disrepair, it won recognition for its architectural significance and was placed on the National Registry of Historical Places. The small fee paid by Currituck visitors raises funds for current restoration efforts.

Introduced 6/15/01
Retail $50.00

Roanoke River, North Carolina

HL538 Collectors Society Exclusive 2002-2003

One of the great shipping centers of the 19th century was Plymouth, North Carolina and officials knew that a lighted beacon was needed at the entrance to the Roanoke River. So in 1835, the Lightship “MM” was placed in the Albemarle Sound to shine its oil-illuminated light from a mast 42 feet above water level. The warning beacon could be spotted eleven to fifteen miles away and its fog bell, (and later its foghorn) could be heard during periods of low visibility.

But the Civil War intervened. With the threat of Union takeover, the Confederate troops moved the Lightship upstream to thwart navigational efforts. When threat of the “USS Ram Albemarle” loomed, the soldiers sank the lightship and several other crafts in the river to serve as a blockade against the deep-water vessel.

After the Civil War ended, plans began for a more permanent river marker. The Lighthouse Board commissioned the building of a screw pile lighthouse, which was completed in 1866. But the lighthouse did not survive long before it succumbed to fire. Its replacement was dumped into the ocean when heavy ice flows severed two of the iron pilings.

By 1887, workers had re-built the lighthouse, placing it again on pilings that were screwed into the muddy ocean floor. The fixed white fourth order Fresnel lens remained in service until it was decommissioned in the 1940s. For more than a decade after that, the lighthouse was dark, hosting only Sea Scout troop meetings and clandestine card games.

Then in 1955 a maritime salvager, Emmett Wiggins, loaded the lighthouse onto a barge and moved it inland near Edenton, where it remains to this day. Wiggins lived in the sentinel and occasionally lighted the lens, but now the beacon is privately owned and no longer in operation.

At one time, the Washington County Historical Society hoped to acquire the structure and move it to Plymouth to serve as a Maritime Museum, but that plan was scrapped when the owner died, just before signing over the deed. As an alternative, the group initiated a plan for a replica of the light station to be re-built downtown. The reconstruction of the Roanoke River Light will be greatly enhanced by the recent discovery of the original architectural plans recovered from archives by the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society.

Miraculously, salvagers discovered the long-scuttled Lightship “MM” in 47 feet of water. Plans are being made to raise the lightship and put it on exhibit near the lighthouse replica. With over $500,000 in federal funding promised to this project, residents of Plymouth hope to soon see their nautical heritage resurrected and open to the public.

Introduced May 02
Timed*
Retail $90.00

* Available during the membership year 2002-2003.

We carry a wide range of Harbour Lights Lighthouses.
Give us a call to see if we have the one you want.

The designs and photographs of Harbour Lights are copyrighted and used with permission.


	SOME 2004 SPECIAL EVENTS PIECES STILL AVAILABLE

Cape Lookout Lighthouse North Carolina

Bodie Island, North Carolina HL447 Open Edition