Season’s Greetings!
With appreciation and best wishes
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This is the season to celebrate, offering the opportunity to express our appreciation for the generosity of others — gifts of sacrifice, volunteerism and other methods of support. The U.S. Lightship Museum is extremely grateful to everyone who has and continues to support our historic efforts towards the restoration of Nantucket/LV-112 and our educational programing. Thank you all!
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Letter from a mother to her son
Crew member of USS Nantucket (LV-112), 1945
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This envelope held a letter sent from a mother to her son, Russell K. Reece, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII on board the USS Nantucket (Nantucket Lightship/LV-112) as a Seaman 1st Class, stationed in South Portland, Maine, 1945 (see Reece's profile in the photo caption below). Click here to view entire original letter, with transcription. Photo Credit: Ron Janard
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The current month of December marked the 80th anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor and Nazi Germany’s declaration of war on the United States, drawing our nation into World War II. As a result, Nantucket/LV-112 was reassigned to South Portland, Maine, as a converted armed examination vessel — renamed USS Nantucket,1942–45 — to join the war effort and help protect the harbor from the intrusion of enemy craft. During WWII, Portland Harbor served as a major naval base in the North Atlantic. It also was the home of shipyards specializing in the construction of Liberty Ships (244 built from 1941–45). The shipyards also built Ocean Cargo Ships for the British government. The USLM expresses its sincere gratitude for the service of our military personnel, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you, everyone, for your service!
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At left is a photo of the late Russell K. Reece (1923–87), published in a yearbook of Riley High School, South Bend, Indiana. Following Russell’s graduation in 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and received his training at the Coast Guard Training Center, Manhattan Beach, NY. Russell was a high-school athlete, and the Manhattan Beach Training Center focused on athletically talented recruits. It was basically special forces training — a modified form of commando tactics. Ron Janard, a USLM Board member, surprisingly found the Reece letter on eBay. USLM volunteers Cindy Baxter and Ray McDonald are presently trying to locate family members who may be able to provide more information and photos of Russell Reece.
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During WWII, Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 was converted to an armed examination vessel and renamed the USS Nantucket, 1942-45. The Nantucket was equipped with two 50-caliber water-cooled machine guns, mounted on the foredeck, and a 3-inch 50-caliber gun, installed with an added gun-mount platform on the ship’s stern section.
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Nantucket/LV-112 (photo c. 1938), was built in 1935–36 by the Pusey and Jones Corporation, a major shipbuilder and industrial-equipment manufacturer. Based in Wilmington, Delaware, the company operated from 1848 to 1959.
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A crew member on the foredeck of the USS Nantucket, in service from 1942-45, takes firing practice with 50-caliber machine gun.
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This photo shows a typical 3-inch 50-caliber gun mounted on a platform of another ship. A duplicate gun and platform was mounted on the stern of the USS Nantucket.
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As a U.S. Coast Guard floating lighthouse, Nantucket Lightship and its crew helped save lives and valuable cargo by safely guiding transatlantic shipping away from the treacherous Nantucket Shoals. The lightship crew risked their lives, anchored on the most dangerous and remote lightship station in the world during some of the worst weather and shipboard conditions experienced year-round—hurricanes, winter storms and the risk of collisions from other ships. Lightships and their crews had to remain on station, regardless of the weather.
During WWII, the “Battle of the Atlantic” raged, in which Nazi Germany’s menacing U-Boats attacked a combined total of 622 ships along the U.S. East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico, sinking 255 ships (gross registered tonnage: 1,425,996). As a result, U.S. lightships were at great risk and had to be armed for protection. The more vulnerable and exposed lightships such as Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, were removed from their stations and replaced with navigational buoys. LV-112, in addition to several other U.S. lightships, were also converted into armed examination vessels. The examination vessels were reassigned to strategic U.S. ports to help defend the entrances of coastal ports with war-time U.S. Naval bases. The responsibility of examination vessels was to inspect vessels that were entering and exiting vital ports in search of the enemy.
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Nazi German submarine U-853 with crew on deck.
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Above is a portion of a Nazi nautical chart of the New England coastal waters from Portland to Cape Cod, used by U-Boat commanders. Naval ships entering and leaving their base port into the open ocean were a prime target for U-Boats. The chart includes the harbor of Portsmouth, NH, where the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is located — the oldest continuously operating U.S. Navy shipyard. The shipyard constructed more than 70 submarines during WWII and, ironically, is where some Nazi U-Boats surrendered towards the end of WWII. |
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On April 23,1945, the patrol boat USS Eagle-56 was attacked and sunk by U-853, the last German U-Boat to enter American waters during WWII. The USS Nantucket, in addition to other Naval assistance, helped rescue survivors of the Eagle-56. Only 13 of the 62 crew members survived. Russell Reece (see story above) was assigned to the USS Nantucket in the time period in which the Eagle attack occurred, so he may have been involved with the rescue effort (we are seeking confirmation). Nazi Germany finally surrendered on May 7, 1945, two weeks after the Eagle-56's sinking.
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The USS Eagle-56 was a WWI-era patrol boat built in 1919 by the Ford Motor Co. and remained in service through WWII. The Eagle-56 was one of 60 Eagle class patrol boats built originally as submarine chasers.
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The Smithsonian Channel documentary “The Hunt for Eagle 56" was produced in 2019 as a three-part television series that explores the Eagle-56 shipwreck and the naval mystery that surrounded the incident.
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The book “Due to Enemy Action” also reveals the naval mystery involving the USS Eagle-56's sinking in 1945. It 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. It also 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"
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Ron Janard, USLM Director and Board member, has been with the USLM since 2010. He also is involved with the USCG Lightship Sailors Association. |
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East Boston residents Cindy Baxter and Ray McDonald are among dedicated U volunteers. |
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The homeport berth of Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, located on the East Boston waterfront at the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina (BHS&M), was formerly the Bethlehem Atlantic Works (Bethlehem—Simpson site) shipyard. As a USCG commissioned lightship, LV-112 once was dry-docked and serviced at this shipyard in its graving dock, which is no longer used. Today a museum ship and "living time capsule," Nantucket/LV-112 remains open for tours during the off season (November to April) by appointment only, weather permitting. The lightship is presently undergoing a multiphase restoration.
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Nantucket/LV-112's visitors
From all around the world
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Captain Jeffrey Monroe, who came aboard LV-112 this past season, is Director of Educational Programs and Standards for the International Association of Maritime and Port Executives (IAMPE). It is the first time he’d been on board LV-112 since he was involved with a previous museum group in the late 1980s, Nantucket Lightship Preservation, Inc. (LNI), Portland, Maine. Back then, LNI owned Nantucket/LV-112, which was berthed in Portland Harbor. Capt. Monroe piloted LV-112 during LNI’s ownership. He recently has been assisting the U.S. Lightship Museum with providing educational and development resources. Captain Monroe is the primary Senior Port and Maritime Consultant with HDR, an international engineering and consulting firm. His role focuses on port and terminal management and planning, development, operations, transportation management, regulatory requirements, navigation, waterway analysis, freight and passenger logistics. His seminar participants include port professionals worldwide.
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Students and teachers from the Adams Alleghieri Learning Academy disembark from Nantucket/LV-112 after a tour, history lesson and picnic lunch on board, viewing the ships and sailboats on the busy Boston Harbor waterfront from the lightship's weather deck. “It was a glorious and fun day,” said one of the students.
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Meghan Wakefield, a USLM volunteer and supporter, visited LV-112 from the Portland, Maine, area. In this snapshot, she poses in the pilot house with her faithful companion, Maisy.
This past year, Meghan Wakefield contacted the USLM to inform us of the passing of Peter Eastman (1927–2019). Peter, also known as “Pops,” was involved with Nantucket/LV-112 while berthed as a museum ship in Portland, Maine, in the late 1980s for several years. He was a tour guide and shipboard systems volunteer. He also was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Following his military service, he became a school science teacher.
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Peter Eastman, shown with his beloved dog Homer, taught physics at Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute (SMVTI), originally Maine Vocational Technical Institute, which served returning WWII veterans who needed to learn new employment skills. In 2003, SMVTI became Southern Maine Community College. |
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Upon Peter’s passing, he donated his beloved 25-acre Turkey Hill Farm, where he grew up as a boy, to the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust. He was very generous with the use of the farm to several different organizations, including a Farm Camp for children. The Land Trust has put the property into conservation for its protection and for the public to enjoy and learn from, with educational programs offered in environmental stewardship.
Meghan Wakefield was the managing caretaker for the farm while Peter was alive. As a close friend to Peter, she knew he was committed to the preservation of Nantucket/LV-112. In addition to Turkey Hill Farm, Meghan said that LV-112 was a very special place to him and dear to his heart.
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When LV-112 was in Portland Harbor, tours were offered to the general public. Peter Eastman was among volunteers who enjoyed leading tours. This photo of other volunteers was taken in LV-112's radio room in 1992.
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Since contacting the U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM) this past year, Meghan has become a volunteer and generous supporter on behalf of Peter Eastman — of the USLM and the preservation of Nantucket/LV-112. The USLM extends its gratitude to Meghan for her contributions and willingness to volunteer and support our historic cause. Nantucket/LV-112 seems to have a spellbinding effect on people.
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USLM supporter Lilli Walsh recently visited the Maine Lighthouse Museum (MLM) in Rockland, Maine, and discovered a U.S. lightship exhibit that featured Nantucket/LV-112. The museum has an extensive collection and exhibits featuring Maine lighthouses, the U.S. Lifesaving Service and lightships — a very worthwhile visit.
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LV-112 maintenance and restoration
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Rob Nickologianis, a USLM volunteer since 2010, prepares to enter LV-112’s propellor shaft alley in the main engine room to perform bilge cleaning. The ship’s steering engine, at top of photo, was converted in 1960 to compressed air, but it was originally powered by steam when LV-112 was steam-propelled from 1936 to 1960, when it was converted to diesel power. The steering engine provides a method of power-steering.
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Jim Hewitt, another long-time LV-112 volunteer (since 2009), just reinstalled an electrical testing panel that he rebuilt. It was designed for testing electrical components (e.g., motors, switches, fuses). The original panel was custom-built by USCG LV-112 crew members. The testing panel is mounted in the ship’s electrical shop.
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The original builder label on the electrical test panel shows it was built in June 1967 by Kiefer, C.A. EM3 and Sheppard, A.L. ET3. Because the panel was custom-built and hand-crafted by former crew members, for purposes of historic preservation we thought it important to preserve its original function and appearance. To this day, the panel is still used to test the lightship's electrical components. |
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Jim Hewitt, a retired marine electrician, worked at the current shipyard where LV-112 is berthed (Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina) when it was formerly the Bethlehem Atlantic Works shipyard. He also worked on nuclear subs at the General Dynamics submarine shipyard. Jim has virtually restored a majority of LV-112’s electrical systems — resurrecting LV-112 from a “dead ship” (no operational electrical systems) back to life. The USLM is sincerely grateful for the many years of Jim Hewitt’s committed time and talented efforts towards Nantucket/LV-112' restoration. Jim is the quintessential volunteer. He also volunteers his time on the historic USS Cassin Young at the Boston Naval Shipyard and at a charitable food pantry in his hometown of Marshfield, MA.
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This 1967 photo shows Chris Kiefer standing in LV-112’s crew’s quarters next to a movie projector. He also functioned as the on-board movie projectionist. Hollywood feature films were shown on board in 16mm format. The USLM has the 16mm projector, which is still operational, and we will set it up as part of the crew’s quarters restoration.
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Community partnerships
Helping to make a difference
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During the years that Nantucket Lightship/LV-112 has been reestablished in its original homeport of Boston, the U.S. Lightship Museum has developed community partnerships with other organizations that are striving to make a beneficial and positive difference for the local community and regional residents. One such organization is Harbor Arts, which is based in East Boston at the Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, where Nantucket Lightship/ LV-112 is berthed. As stated on their website, they are “Transforming Boston Harbor into a global destination for public art.”
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In 2019, the USLM hosted a think-tank dinner on board LV-112 in conjunction with Harbor Arts and Sea Walls: Boston, a group of local, regional, and national artists gathered in East Boston. At that meeting, artists focused on creating a powerful new collection of landmark artworks, which now serve as educational tools and conversation-starters that address relevant marine environmental issues of local importance, such as the climate situation and pollution of the oceans. Click on Harbor Arts and Sea Walls: Boston to learn more about these organizations and their activities. The result of the meeting was the following creation of a number of large-scale murals, many of which are painted on outdoor walls in East Boston.
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This mural, which is among outdoor murals painted in East Boston on the sides of walls and buildings, is titled “Plastic Pandora” and painted by Lauren YS, a Los Angeles–based artist. It calls attention to the detrimental effect that plastic waste has in polluting the world's oceans. |
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“Rising Tides,” a 123’x14' mural painted by Sophie Tuttle in 2020, depicts sea-evel rise and the negative effect it can have on salt marsh sparrows. |
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“Fear,” a 60’x30’ mural by Sophie Tuttle, was created for the Boston Sea Walls mural festival. Per the artist, the mural “depicts several species of urban sharks that can be found in Boston Harbor.” |
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How you can
help Nantucket/LV-112's
light beacon keep shining
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All electronic donations will be securely processed by PayPal |
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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.
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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 lighthouse 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.
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Support LV-112's restoration!
Become a USLM member today
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For a gift of $1,000 or more, donors will receive a limited-edition, fine-art print of the SS United States passing Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, signed by marine artist Gerald Levey.
Discover the value-added membership benefits when you become a member of the U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM). The USLM is a member of the Council of American Maritime Museums (CAMM). 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.
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ACK Marine & General Contracting, LLC
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.
City of Boston
Community Preservation Act
C/J Towing & Recovery
Claflin & Son
Nautical Antiques
Crandall Dry Dock Engineers
Capt. Robertson P. Dinsmore Fund
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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
SR Johnson Fund
Kelly Automotive Group
H.F. Lenfest Fund
The Lightship Group, LLC
Massachusetts Historical Commission
McAllister Towing &
Transportation Co.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)
Joe and Pepette Mongrain
Fund
National Park Service
Save America's Treasures
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National Trust for
Historic Preservation
New England
Lighthouse Lovers
New London Maritime Society and Custom House Maritime Museum
Patriot Marine, LLC
The Sail Loft, LLC, Nantucket
Sherwin-Williams
Industrial Marine Coatings Division
State Street Corporation
T & M Services
Town of Oyster Bay,
Long Island, NY
U.S. Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association
West Marine
U.S. Lighthouse Society
Westerbeke Company
USLM Members
Verizon Foundation
Zuni Maritime Foundation
USS Zuni / USCG Tamaroa
Individual Donors
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Nantucket/LV-112
Proudly made in USA
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USLM is a member
of the following organizations
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Teach children about lightships
with the book Lightship
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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.
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Poem posted on LV-112 while in service on Nantucket Shoals Lightship Station
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"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
Sails!"
Poem provided by Peter Brunk, USCG-Ret., Commanding Officer, Nantucket/LV-112, 1970-71, who serves on the USLM Board of Directors.
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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 numerous shipwrecks located in New England waters. For more information, click here.
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The Sinking of the U-853 by Capt. William Palmer
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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 the 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.
Book description: "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.
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German U-boat attack off Portland, Maine, during WWII, involving LV-112 (USS Nantucket)
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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.
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"The Finest Hours—" Book and Movie |
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"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)
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Bernie Webber, who 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.
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The full-length movie "The Finest Hours' is available on DVD. |
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To learn more about
lighthouse news, click on Lighthouse Digest
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Explore the oceans in depth and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with
Oceanus magazine
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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.
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Lightships, Lighthouses & Lifeboat Stations: A memoir and history
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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).
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Help support the restoration of LV-112 by donating your old car and receive a tax deduction
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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.
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The Lightships of Cape Cod |
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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 |
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Massachusetts Lighthouses and Lightships |
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"Massachusetts Lighthouses and Lightships" by Arthur P. Richmond is an indispensable addition to the lighthouse enthusiast's library, required reading for those interested in New England maritime history, and a delight for anyone who enjoys coastal Massachusetts. More than 800 images, many never before published, include historic plans that describe the details of these aids to navigation, and archival and contemporary photos that trace through their history. The book covers all the lighthouses and lightships that marked the shores (exclusive of Cape Cod and the Islands) and guided mariners through the challenging waters surrounding Massachusetts. This volume also explores the interiors of towers, shows the lantern rooms of rarely-visited lighthouses, and gives fascinating facts about these beacons through their 200-year history. U.S. Lightship Museum (USLM): Excellent book-one of the better books published, about lighthouses and lightships. Credit: Review-Amazon Books/USLM |
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A crew member rings the bell on the foredeck of Nantucket New South Shoal No. 1 during low-visibility storm conditions. The illustration is from "Life on the South Shoal Lightship" by Gustov Kobbe, Century Magazine, August 1891.
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Kenrick A. Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques
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Click on the website link above to see nautical artifacts available at Kenrick A. Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques, which has donated publications to the USLM. |
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The United States Lightship Museum
The U.S. Lightship Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue and preservation of Nantucket Lightship/LV-112, a National Historic Landmark and a National Treasure. LV-112 is a museum and floating learning center, open to the general public -- a place for people of all ages to learn about our nation's seafaring history and the technologies that advanced the nautical and marine sciences.
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