Our Lighthouse Guy Tells White Light Story
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Lighthouse historian Jeremy D'Entremont will present the story of White Island Light and its keepers at Seacoast Science Center on Tuesday, April 10, at 7:00 pm. His presentation is part of the regular meeting of the Isles of Shoals Historical and Research Association. (See details below)

 

On a clear night, a bright white flash is seen off the New Hampshire coast every 15 seconds, marking the Isles of Shoals seven miles offshore. The lighthouse on White Island, the southernmost of the Isles, is one of two lighthouses on the New Hampshire Seacoast; Portsmouth Harbor Light, of course, is the other.

The original 1821 tower displayed a pattern of red, white, and blue flashes, and the keeper's house was the childhood home of poet Celia Thaxter, who later brought fame to the Isles of Shoals with her family's grand hotel. The current lighthouse was built in 1859 and has been maintained in recent years thanks to the fundraising efforts of a group of schoolchildren known as the Lighthouse Kids. This spring, the State of New Hampshire restored the covered walkway connecting the house and tower that had been swept away in a 2007 storm. 

Speaker Jeremy D'Entremont, the author of nine books and hundreds of articles, is historian for the American Lighthouse Foundation and founder of Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses. His talk, “White Island Light Station and the People Who Have Kept It,” will explore the history of White Island Light and the keepers, families, and preservationists who have cared for it over nearly two centuries of history. “Lighthouse life was unique,” he explains, “and it's a way of life that's faded into the past with automation.”

D'Entremont will also be the featured speaker at an ISHRA conference on Star Island the weekend of September 7-9. ISHRA's nonprofit mission is to expand awareness of the natural and human history of the Isles of Shoals. 

Tickets to the April 10 event are $10 (free for ISHRA members) and may be purchased at the door. Space is limited, so please RSVP to 617-334-5675. The Seacoast Science Center is located at 570 Ocean Boulevard in Rye. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 pm, and the ISHRA meeting and special presentation are from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. For more information visit ishra.org.

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