If you haven't been to visit Point Wilson for some time, we'd like to invite you to come see us again. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the upgrades we made during the off season.
First, the good folks at Rogers Paint Group completely refinished the interior of the lighthouse in historically correct colors. This was much more of an undertaking than you might imagine, involving a great deal of prep work. Thanks to doing it correctly, the result is terrific! Many thanks to the Rogers Paint Group, for a careful and thorough job. Second, with such a nice interior, the dedicated volunteers just couldn't resist remodeling and expanding the gift shop. You'll find we have a much bigger selection of lighthouse-related things for you to choose from. And we have ice cream! Last, but not least, after having had its machinery overhauled, the lighthouse's original Fresnel lens is turning once again after 17 years. You can see it at the top of the tower from outside or up close, by climbing the tower stairs.
On opening day, May 4, we greeted 158 visitors. The next day 49 people braved the poor weather to come visit, and as a result got extra special tours. With improved weather, visits picked back up the next weekend. 176 visitors came on Saturday and 222 on Sunday. People who have visited before often tell us how nice the inside of the lighthouse looks now. And they remark on the enlarged gift shop and the expanded display of lighthouses and lightships from all over the country.
We think you'll agree we're making good progress restoring Port Townsend's iconic lighthouse and opening it for visits. Stop by when you get a chance and see for yourself.
To close things out, here's a little behind-the-scenes note about the friendly people who make your visit possible. After closing the lighthouse on Saturday, May 11, the US Lighthouse Society held a pizza party for the people who work at the lighthouse. At the event the Executive Director of the US Lighthouse Society, Jeff Gales, presented an award recognizing two people, Dick Richardson and Mel Carter, for their outstanding volunteerism. Nineteen "lighthouse people" attended, including volunteers and special friends and staff of the Society. Dick was recognized for his many years of volunteer work with the Society and, together with his wife Evelyn, for setting up the volunteer program at Point Wilson. Mel, who lives on one side of the keepers' house at Point Wilson, was honored for handling the rental units on the property and for turning them into such beautiful vacation spots. Both were presented with glass-enclosed replicas of a fourth-order Fresnel lens.
Komentáře