 |
|
All electronic donations will be
processed by PayPal
 
 Nantucket/LV-112 Proudly made in USA
Attention
lighthouse lovers!
If you love lighthouses and want to learn about these guiding lights and navigational aids all over the world, then
The Lighthouse Directory is the website for you. It provides an astounding amount of information, linking to more than 17,200 of the world's lighthouses. Russ Rowlett, Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, compiled the directory with the assistance of hundreds of lighthouse fans around the world who have enriched this site with their own information and suggestions. For a long time, Rowlett tried to maintain a list of lighthouses from his many friends and contacts, but it had grown too long (and too out of date) to display on the comprehensive site. Rowlett offers special thanks to
Michel Forand for his suggestions and editing, touching essentially every page of the directory, and Jeremy D'Entremont, Ted Sarah and Klaus Huelse, each contributing in vital ways.
The Maine
Lighthouse Museum
Another unique educational resource for U.S. Lighthouse history, Lifesaving and Lightship Services is the Maine Lighthouse Museum (MLM), located in Rockland, Maine, the heart of the Midcoast. Last October, the U.S. Lightship Museum presented a PowerPoint presentation at the MLM about U.S. lightships and
Nantucket/LV-112.
The mission of the Maine Lighthouse Museum is to educate the public regarding the longstanding traditions, heroism and progress of America's Lighthouse and Lifesaving Services and the U.S. Coast Guard through the conservation and interpretation of the nation's most significant collection of lighthouse and lifesaving artifacts. From sparkling lenses to heartwarming stories of the keepers and their families, the Maine Lighthouse Museum is truly America's lighthouse museum. For more information, log on to the
Maine Lighthouse Museum or call 207.594.3301.
American Express
Amex Industrial Services, Inc.
Association of Public Safety Communications Officials - Atlantic Chapter
BAE Systems
Bluefin Robotics
Boston Forge & Welding Corp.
Boston Harbor
Shipyard & Marina
The Boston Foundation
ThreeBees Fund
Burnham Associates, Inc.
Burnham Marine
California Public Safety Radio Association
Cameron International Corporation
Charitable Adult Rides and Services, Inc. C/J Towing & Recovery
Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques Crandall Dry Dock Engineers
Capt. Robertson P. Dinsmore Fund
Donahue, Tucker & Ciandella, PLLC
East Boston Foundation
Eastern Bank Charitable
Foundation
Egan Maritime Institute,
Nantucket Shipwreck &
Lifesaving Museum
Fitzgerald Shipyard
Foss Maritime
Friends of the
Boston Harbor Islands
H&H Propeller, Inc.
J. Hewitt Marine
Electrical Services
Kelly Automotive Group
H.F. Lenfest Fund
The Lightship Group, LLC
McAllister Towing &
Transportation Co.
Joe and Pepette Mongrain
Fund
National Trust for
Historic Preservation
New England
Lighthouse Lovers
New London Maritime Society and Custom House Maritime Museum The Sail Loft, LLC, Nantucket Sherwin-Williams
Industrial Marine Coatings Division
T & M Services
Town of Oyster Bay,
Long Island, NY
U.S. Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association
West Marine
U.S. Lighthouse Society
USLM Members
Verizon Foundation
Zuni Maritime Foundation USS Zuni / USCG Tamaroa
Individual Donors
USLM is a member
of the following organizations 
The flag of the United States Lighthouse Service
Teach children about lightships with the book
Lightship
Editorial From School
Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2: Lightships were anchored where lighthouses could not be built. They protected our ocean harbors as well as points along the Great Lakes. The last one (
Nantucket/LV-613
) was decommissioned in 1983, so this fascinating picture book is a piece of nautical history. Brian Floca's watercolor drawings depict daily life aboard one of these vessels, cooking, sleeping, working, all the while rolling with the rhythm of the waves. Many hazards were involved. Big ships came too close, anchors lost their mooring, and weather caused many problems. But when the fog rolled in, the lightship sprang into action. Lights flashed and horns sounded, allowing ship traffic to make it "through fog and night, past rocks and shoals, past reefs and wrecks, past danger." The drawings are very detailed. Some pages are collages of small scenes. Many are full spreads. The sailors' facial expressions are amusing to watch, and the resident cat appears on almost every page. The front and back endpapers show a cutaway view of one of the vessels. This fascinating, little-known slice of history should prove interesting to every child who loves big boats.
-- Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI
(review originally published by Reed Business Information, Inc.)
The book
Lightship
, by Brian Floca, can be purchased on
Amazon.com
. For more information about lightships, click on Brian Floca's
blog
.
 |
|
For more information about the U.S. Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association and the U.S. Lightship Service, click on logo
|
Lead, Kindly Light
By John Henry Newman
(1801-1890)
"Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th'encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!
So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on.
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!
Meantime, along the narrow rugged path,
Thyself hast trod,
Lead, Saviour, lead me home in childlike faith,
Home to my God.
To rest forever after earthly strife
In the calm light of everlasting life."
Note: "Lead Kindly Light" was a poem originally written by John Henry Newman (1801-1890), who was 33 years old when he found himself on a boat from the Sicilian city of Palermo to Marseille, France. Newman, who was recovering after being dangerously ill with a fever, was on the boat to return to his native England when he penned the lyrics to "Lead, Kindly Light." The context that Newman was recovering from a frightening illness in the middle of the sea gives insight to the lyrics.
Photo above: Pigeon Point Lighthouse in California, by Darvin Atkeson
Poem posted on
LV-112 while in service on Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station
"When a sailor gets to thinking
He is one of the best
Let him ship out on a lightship
And take the acid test.
And if he feels like bragging
I don't think that all of his tales
Will be of deep sea sailing
But of the ship that never
Poem provided by Peter Brunk,
USCG-Ret., Commanding Officer,
Nantucket/LV-112, 1970-71, who serves on the USLM Board of Directors
|
This comprehensive New England shipwreck website is a helpful resource for SCUBA divers, maritime history researchers and enthusiasts. The site includes many photographs, charts, reference documents and history about many shipwrecks located in New England waters. For more information,
The Sinking of the U-853
by Capt. William Palmer
When the German enemy submarine
U-853 entered U.S. waters off Portland, Maine in 1945, it torpedoed and sank the
USS Eagle-56.
Nantucket/LV-112, converted to an examination vessel,
USS Nantucket (1942-45) during WWII, helped save the crew of the
USS Eagle-56.
This is a book about the
U-853
story, researched and written by
Capt. Bill Palmer
, a long-time shipwreck researcher, diver and preservationist.
Description of book: "Out in the cold Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Rhode Island, lies the remains of what was once a feared and mighty hunter. It's not a fish or shark, for that matter it is not even a marine creature. It's what men feared the most when they went to sea aboard their vessel back during the World War II years. It's a German submarine called a U-Boat. The
U-853 was the last German submarine sunk in World War II. She was sunk with all hands just minutes before World War II ended. The once mighty hunter feared by all who put to sea, now lies in 130 feet of water off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island, her grave marked only by a circle on the nautical charts, DANGER Unexploded Depth Charges, May 1945."
Capt. Palmer has been running a charter boat for wreck-diving, shark-fishing and shark-cage-diving off the coast of Rhode Island and Connecticut for 40 years.
German U-boat attack off Portland, Maine, during WWII, involving
LV-112 (USS Nantucket)
This book is the story of a small U.S. sub-chaser, the
Eagle 56, caught in the crosshairs of a German U-boat, the
U-853, whose brazen commander doomed his own crew in a desperate, last-ditch attempt to record final kills before his country's imminent defeat a few weeks later in May. And it is the account of how one man, Paul M. Lawton, embarked on an unrelenting quest for the truth and changed naval history.
For more information, log onto: "
Due to Enemy Action
"
"In February of 1952, one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast struck New England, damaging an oil tanker off the coast of Cape Cod and literally ripping it in half. On a small lifeboat faced with frigid temperatures and 70-foot high waves, four members of the U.S. Coast Guard (Bernie Webber and three other crewmen) set out to rescue the more than 30 stranded sailors trapped aboard the rapidly sinking vessel. 'The Finest Hours' is the story of their heroic mission, which is still considered the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history."
(Michelle McCue, 9/9/14)
Bernie Webber (later served on
Nantucket/LV-112, 1958-60) and the three other crewmen were awarded the coveted USCG Gold Lifesaving Medal for their heroism in what is considered by maritime historians to be "the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history." Mr. Webber, who was a member of the USCG Lightship Sailors Association, was extremely helpful in assisting the
USLM-Nantucket/LV-112 compile research information and historic documents about
LV-112. He was a pleasure and honor to work with. Bernie passed away in January 2009. He was considered "A Real American Hero" and is dearly missed.
To learn more about
lighthouse news, click on
Lighthouse Digest
Explore the oceans in depth and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with
Oceanus magazine
Oceanus
explores the oceans in depth, highlighting the research and researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in news, features and interviews written by magazine staff, with full-color photographs and illustrations. Each issue covers a wide spectrum of oceanography, spanning coastal research, marine life, deep-ocean exploration and the ocean's role in climate, as well as ocean technology and policy. To learn more, click on magazine cover above.
Lightships, Lighthouses & Lifeboat Stations:
A Memoir and History
Lightships, Lighthouses & Lifeboat Stations is part history book, part memoir, written by Bernie Webber, recipient of the Coast Guard's highest award, the Gold Life-saving Medal, and hero of the Disney movie The Finest Hours. While the public will recognize Webber's name from the movie and the bestselling book by the same name, few people know that during his lengthy Coast Guard career he served on lightships (ships anchored in dangerous areas to warn other vessels of hazards) in addition to lifeboat stations (small boat rescue stations) and lighthouses. Webber poses the following question: "How did the lightship men cope with the isolation, constant loneliness, boredom, fear, or just sheer terror? All were part of life on board a lightship. Rough seas tossed the ship about, rearing up and down on the anchor chain. This was a world of isolation, noise from operating machinery, and blasts from the powerful foghorn that went on for hours, sometimes days, at a time." Webber answers that question in this book, drawing on a combination of personal experience and meticulous historical research. Discussions of men going mad, lightships being run down by larger ships, anchor chains breaking, and lightships cast upon shoals are offset by humorous stories and the author's reflections on his best days at sea. Fourteen historic photos are included, as well as a foreword by Michael Tougias.(reprinted from Amazon).
Help support the restoration of LV-112 by donating your old car and receive a tax deduction
How it works
We have teamed with Charitable Auto Resources, Inc. (CARS), to accept vehicle donations across the United States. Once
you contact our customer service representative about making a donation, everything will be taken care of, including a receipt for your tax records. Sale proceeds will be donated to the USLM in your name. Donating your vehicle to the U.S. Lightship Museum is as easy as calling our representative toll-free at 855-500-7433.
For more information,
click here
.
The Lightships
of Cape Cod
Authored by Frederic L. Thompson, 1996, 2nd printing, 112 pages, soft wrap. Signed by the author. Illustrated with over 93 beautifully detailed photographs. Much sought-after, this scarce volume chronicles the history of the lightships in this vital area. Wonderfully detailed black-and-white photographs enhance the author's vivid description of the history and life aboard these vessels. One of the only volumes ever written exclusively on this subject, this fine work will make a fine addition to any library. Price: $14.95 plus shipping ($5.95), total: $20.90. May be purchased online
from the USLM; just click on "Donate" button in this newsletter and add a notation in the area provided. Or mail a check or money order addressed to: U.S. Lightship Museum, PO Box 454, Amesbury, MA 10913
U.S. Lightship Museums
Relief/WLV-605
|
|
|
A crew member rings the bell on the foredeck of Nantucket New South Shoal No. 1 during low-visibility storm conditions. The i
llustration is from "Life on the South Shoal Lightship" by Gustov Kobbe,
Century Magazine, August 1891
|
|
|
| |
Recent broadcast by WBUR, Boston's NPR news radio station, features
Nantucket/LV-112 among "Massachusetts' most famous ships"
|
|
| Nantucket/LV-112 on Nantucket Shoals station during storm conditions, submerging LV-112's weather deck and deck houses. Photo taken from USCG lighthouse tender, c. 1940 |
Recently, WBUR/Radio Boston produced and aired an entertaining and educational maritime radio broadcast that featured Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 with three other significant, historic vessels: USS Constitution, CG36500 ("The Finest Hours" fame), the Floating Hospital for Children and its history, and the origins of sea shanties.
As stated by WBUR on their website: "We look at the underbelly of the nation's oldest commissioned naval vessel and hear the heroic history of the nation's largest lightship, which helped vessels navigate the perilous Nantucket Shoals.
"We also hear from the last surviving member of the Coast Guard's greatest small boat rescue and learn the fascinating history of a barge outfitted to treat poor children and families.
"Finally, we can't go out to sea without some songs to help us pass the time: a look at the rich history of sea shanties."
To listen to the broadcast in its entirety, click here.
|
You are invited, Monday, August 7:
Relighting of LV-112's light beacon
Celebrate National Lighthouse Day!
|
|
|
Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 anchored on Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station, 1946
|
On National Lighthouse Day, August 7, Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, a former commissioned U.S. Coast Guard "floating lighthouse" (1936-75),
National Historic Landmark and National Treasure, will commemorate the restoration of its
historic 500,000-candlepower light beacon and the activation of its fog horn at its homeport berth in Boston Harbor. We'll offer tours of the 150-foot ship, the largest U.S. lightship ever built. Then at dusk, Nantucket/LV-112's bright main light beacon (23-mile range) and powerful fog horn (14-mile range) will be reactivated, just like when this historic lightship guided transoceanic vessels past the treacherous Nantucket Shoals and was the first sign of America seen by immigrants coming from Europe, earning it the nickname "The Statue of Liberty of the Sea." We invite you to attend this unique waterfront celebration held on National Lighthouse Day, observed across the United States.
Date and times:
Monday, August 7, 6:30-8:30pm (rain or shine). The grand finale is relighting
LV-112's light beacon relighting and sounding the fog horn at 8:30pm. The event also will serve as a fundraiser to support the ongoing restoration of
Nantucket Lightship/LV-112
.
Where
: Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, 256 Marginal St., East Boston,
directions
. Parking: marina lot or along Marginal St. MBTA: take blue line to Maverick station, 15-minute walk to ship. Boston Water Taxi: stop #68,
view map
Ticket prices
: $25 general admission. Includes lightship tour, snacks and soft drinks. Beer and wine also available. Reserve tickets on Eventbrite by
clicking here.
Contact
: For more information,
email
or call 617.797.0135.
National Lighthouse Day is
a day we look forward to celebrating every year with fanfare in Boston Harbor.
Annually held on August 7, National Lighthouse Day honors the beacons of light that for hundreds of years, symbolized safety and security for ships and boats at sea. At one time, these light beacons could be found along nearly all of America's shorelines.
|
In memory of former USCG LV-112 crewmember, James E. Sheahan
|
|
| James Sheahan, U.S. Coast Guard, 1954 |
With great sadness, we report the passing of James E. Sheahan, our friend, committed supporter and former U.S. Coast Guard Nantucket/LV-112 crewmember (1954). Coincidently, Jim's birthday is on National Lighthouse Day, August 7. He attended the USLM's first two National Lighthouse Day celebrations. This year on that date, the USLM will be holding a memorial service for Jim on Nantucket/LV-112. Jim lived in South Yarmouth, MA. He died on June 14, one day after he and his beloved wife, Audrey, celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary. Jim was born and raised in Framingham, MA, and worked in the computer industry as an electrical engineer.
 |
|
|
Jim Sheahan on board LV-112, holding a piece of LV-112's porthole glass that was blown out of the porthole behind him during Hurricane Edna. Photo credit: Boston Herald, Oct. 3, 1954
|
As an electronic technician in the USCG, Jim served on Nantucket/LV-112 and was a radioman when Hurricane Edna struck the New England coast on September 11, 1954. The storm ravaged LV-112 while on Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station, nearly capsizing and sinking the United States' largest floating lighthouse ever built.
Edna's 110 mph winds and towering seas reaching over 70 feet relentlessly pounded
LV-112's
double-plated steel hull, buckling the ships bow plates, breaking the anchor chain, smashing through the nearly 1-inch-thick reinforced pilot-house portholes, extinguishing the ship's boilers and damaging the rudder, which disabled the ship's ability to steer and rendered her without power. It was the closest to sinking that
LV-112
ever experienced in the nearly 40 years the historic lightship was in USLHS and USCG service. The ship's crew feared the loss of their lives was inevitable. As
LV-112
was relentlessly pounded and tossed like a toy boat by Hurricane Edna, the radio set caught fire, and Jim Sheahan was badly burned while attempting to send out an SOS message. But he managed to send the following distress signal: "Taking water over the bow...smashing all ports...pilot house out of commission...steering gear out... we're taking hell of a beating out here."
Read more about Jim's background by clicking
here
(
Cape Cod Times
, June 18, 2017).
I
n lieu of flowers, the Sheahan family generously directed donations to the United States Lightship Museum. Contributions can be made either online
or by check payable to USLM
Nantucket/LV-112
, P.O. Box 454, Amesbury, MA 01913.
|
|
|
Jim Sheahan (left) and Dick Arnold (right) visit on board LV-112 prior to its superstructure restoration, several years ago. This was Jim and Dick's first reunion together and return to LV-112 since serving as USCG shipmates during horrific Hurricane Edna in 1954 on Nantucket Shoals lightship station
|
|
|
Nantucket Lightship/LV-112
visitor highlights
|
|
|
East Boston fourth-graders with their teacher, John Rogers, explore Nantucket/LV-112, during their last week of classes before summer vacation. John Rogers was recently named "Teacher of the Year" in the Boston Public School system. John serves on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM) and is a USLM volunteer
|
|
|
|
Former USCG LV-112 veteran, Bob Langis recently visited LV-112 from Melville, NY, with his family. Bob served on LV-112 during the July 26, 1956, sinking of the Italian oceanliner SS Andria Doria after being struck in heavy fog by the Swedish ship MS Stockholm, approximately one mile from Nantucket Lightship/LV-112
|
|
|
A group from the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) tours LV-112. OLLI is part of UMass Boston's Gerontology Institute, providing lifelong learning, trips and social activities for those over age 50. OLLI is affiliated with the national network of learning in retirement programs organized by the Elder Hostel Institute. For more information about OLLI, click here
|
|
|
|
As part of a fundraiser to support the lightship, many visitors watched the Tall Ships Parade in Boston Harbor on June 17 from the deck of LV-112. Although an overcast and partially foggy day, everyone enjoyed themselves with majestic views, plenty of delicious food, thirst-quenching beverages and lively music
|
|
USCG LV-112 veterans join USLM volunteer group
|
|
|
Two former USCG LV-112
veterans, Bob Burbank (left) and Wayne Staltare (right), recently joined the USLM's volunteer group as a tour guides. Bob served in the USCG from 1959-62 and aboard LV-112 from 1959-60. Wayne served in the USCG from 1967-72 and aboard LV-112 from 1967-69. They both have many unique and entertaining stories to share with visitors touring the ship. Also noted, Peter Brunk (USCG Ret), who served on LV-112 as Commanding Officer, is on the USLM Board of Directors and has been a USLM volunteer since 2009
|
|
|
|
Volunteers Jim Hewitt and Ron Janard (also USLM Director) load Jim's pick-up truck with burned out and corroded electric motors, cabling and miscellaneous electrical components (scrap) that were replaced with operational and rebuilt units on LV-112. The scrap was sold to a recycling dealer to help pay for restoration expenses
|
|
|
|
Jim Hewitt tests LV-112's engine room alarm distribution system that he recently restored
|
|
LV-112 in Worldwide Radio Event, Saturday, August 19
|
|
|
HAM radio operators from the USS Cassin Young in Boston are communicating via voice and Morse code transmissions with other HAM lighthouse and lightship stations all over the world
|
For the eighth consecutive year, LV-112 will participate in the International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend, a HAM radio event. On Saturday, August 19, LV-112 visitors can talk and listen to other HAM radio operators from lighthouses and other lightships from around the world, utilizing LV-112's antennas. We also will be communicating in Morse code. This annual amateur radio event, which started in Scotland in 1993, now has more 450 lighthouses and lightships in more than 50 countries participating each year (list of participants).
The event is always held on the third full weekend in August. It coincides with the Sunday of "International Lighthouse Day," an event organized by the Association of Lighthouse Keepers in which lighthouses worldwide are open to the public. In addition to promoting amateur radio and international goodwill, the event promotes awareness of lighthouses and lightships, which are fast becoming endangered species due to GPS, satellite navigation and automation of light sources to solar power. It is hoped the event will heighten awareness of preserving these magnificent structures.
|
Help support Nantucket/LV-112's restoration when you shop on Amazon with AmazonSmile
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support the efforts of the U.S. Lightship Museum and
Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at
smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the U.S. Lightship Museum, among nearly 1 million organizations from which to choose. The U.S. Lightship Museum is a registered and approved AmazonSmile charity. For more information on how to participate
click here
.
|
Celebrating 'Built in the USA': Part 3
|
|
| Nantucket/LV-112 at the Pusey and Jones Corporation shipyard in Wilmington, DE, upon completion, March 21, 1936, sliding down the shipways into the water for the first time. LV-112 was the largest U.S. lightship ever built |
As described in Parts 1 and 2 of this series (see previous newsletters), U.S. lightships are more than just floating lighthouses. They also represent a significant segment and evolution of American ingenuity, innovation, state of the art design/construction and high-quality materials, equipment and craftsmanship. Moreover, their many years of service represents a segment of our nation's evolving culture. Presently, 15 U.S. lightships still exist. Six lightships are privately owned, and nine are nonprofit museums and National Historic Landmarks open to the general public, with five on the East Coast, one on the Great Lakes and three on the West Coast. It is just as important to preserve these unique historic sites as it is to preserve other historic places that represent an important part of our nation's heritage.
|
|
|
LV-112's stern section under construction at the Pusey and Jones Corporation shipyard, 1935. Photo credit: Hagley Museum
|
A total of 179 United States lightships were designed and constructed in the United States between 1820 through 1952 with highly skilled craftsman and tradesman, utilizing the best quality materials and equipment manufactured in the United States. The floating lighthouses were built at numerous private shipyards across our nation, contracted by the federal government.
A number of lightships were also built in U.S. Navy and USCG shipyards. In addition, components (engines, rigging, misc. metals, steel, electrical components electronic equipment, piping, navigational equipment, etc.) were produced and manufactured by individual U.S. contractors such as General Electric, Westinghouse, Carnegie/Bethlehem Steel, General Motors, Motorola, Raytheon, Chelsea Clock, and E.S. Ritchie & Sons (Ritchie Navigation). Components built for the U.S. Navy were also used on the USLHS and USCG lightships.
Nantucket/LV-112 today is berthed at the former Bethlehem Atlantic Works shipyard in East Boston. It was owned by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company and operated from 1853 to 1982. LV-112 was serviced in the Atlantic Works graving dock while it was a commissioned USCG lightship.
|
|
|
Merchant vessel undergoing repairs and servicing in a floating dry-dock at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Simpson Plant, in East Boston (c. 1935), which is presently the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, where Nantucket/LV-112 is berthed
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. lightships were built with the highest quality steel manufactured in the United States. The nine U.S. lightships presently repurposed as museums are a testament to how well they were built. The oldest steel lightship museum, Swiftsure, was built in 1904, and today is open for tours in Seattle
|
|
|
|
|
Although women did not serve on U.S. lightships, they were part of a large workforce during the war effort in WWII in the shipyards when LV-112 was converted to an Examination Vessel (1942-45). They were employed as welders, steel cutters ("burners"), machinists, etc. Photo credit: LIFE magazine
|
|
|
|
Women shipyard welders working on steel ship hull plating
|
The Atlantic Works purchased the former East Boston Dry Dock Company site on Border Street in 1902. By 1922, with a number of floating dry docks and marine railways, it was the largest private ship-repair facility in Boston. In 1928, Bethlehem Shipbuilding purchased both the Atlantic Works and the Simpson sites and operated both shipyards during World War II.
U.S. lightships were critically important floating sentinels, built when virtually all of our nation's products and materials were manufactured in the United States by skilled craftsman and artisans who took a
tremendous amount of pride in their respective trades.
|
|
|
Lightship fog bells manufactured at the USLHS depot in Chelsea, MA, c. 1935. Photo credit: Leslie Jones Collection
|
|
|
|
Newly installed radio equipment in LV-112's radio room, 1936
|
During our restoration efforts, locating new materials (fasteners-bolts, sheet metal screws, rigging items, etc.) that are made in the USA (most made in China) is a real challenge. So, we are always searching for vintage items (used/new old stock) that are compatible and historically accurate. On occasion, we need to have parts custom-made by professional craftsman or artisans.
|
Become a USLM member today
 |
|
For a gift of $1,000 or more, donors will receive a limited-edition, fine-art print of the SS United States passing Nantucket/LV-112, signed by marine artist Gerald Levey
|
When you become a member of the U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM), you will be helping rescue and preserve Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, a National Historic Landmark and National Treasure that is an important part of our nation's maritime heritage. Plus you will have the satisfaction of knowing you are a contributing partner in the legacy of the world's most famous and largest U.S. lightship ever built. The USLM is a member of the Council of Maritime Museums (CAMM) and the Historic Naval Ships Association (HNSA). All USLM members will be granted reciprocal privileges (free admission) at participating CAMM institutions. For more information about the benefits and the USLM Membership program, click on USLM Membership.
All electronic donations will be processed by PayPal.
We thank everyone for their ongoing
contributions
and support
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
