On June 30, 2009 members of the media gathered at
Portland Head Light Station to learn about Maine Open Lighthouse Day and
to witness a historic moment with the ownership of Whaleback Ledge
Lighthouse transferred from the U.S. Coast Guard to the nonprofit
American Lighthouse Foundation.
With Maine Governor John E. Baldacci looking on, Rear
Admiral Dale Gabel, Commander,
Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani
(L to R) USCG Rear Admiral Dale Gabel and
GSA Acting Regional Administrator Glenn Rotondo present ALF board
members Dot Black and Ross Tracy with a ceremonial deed for Whaleback
Ledge Lighthouse on June 30, 2009
First Coast Guard
District and Glenn Rotondo, Acting Regional Administrator of the General
Services Administration, presented American Lighthouse Foundation president
Dot Black and board member Ross Tracy with a ceremonial deed for the 1872
sentinel to commemorate the transfer and ownership.
The Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse (FPHL), a chapter of the
American Lighthouse Foundation, will coordinate the Whaleback Ledge Light
project locally and the group is currently planning to fund a Historic
Structures Report for the site that will chart the beacon’s long-term
preservation.
“It’s an exciting
time for the Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse and the American
Lighthouse Foundation,” said Ross Tracy, ALF board member
Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani
Ross Tracy and Dot Black with the
ceremonial deed for Whaleback Ledge Lighthouse
and chairman of the FPHL. “We took the first big steps in
applying for and acquiring Whaleback Lighthouse, which is a tremendous
historic treasure and an equally tremendous commitment. We’re proud to
follow in the footsteps of its past keepers and the U.S. Coast Guard in
ensuring the structure’s history and legacy is preserved.”
In referring to Whaleback Ledge Lighthouse, Jeremy D’Entremont, FPHL
operations manager, stated, “It's humbling to be entrusted with a rich
historical resource like Whaleback Lighthouse. Restoring it and providing
public access will be an enormous challenge in the coming years, but it's a
challenge we eagerly look forward to. We very much appreciate the ceremonial
deed transfer being included in the announcement for Maine Open Lighthouse
Day, which is a tremendously exciting event for the region.”
