May 2010 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 19.
LIGHTHOUSE NEWS
Continued from Page 10
Company, Inc. noted, “It was great to get started on this phase of new restoration work at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. Our crews enjoy working on historic structures. It is very satisfying knowing that we can play a small part in helping preserve history.” Al Spier, a foreman for J.B. Leslie Com- pany, Inc. echoed Leslie’s sentiments, say- ing, “We work on a number of historical buildings, but lighthouses are special there’s just something about them that is fascinating to be a part of.”
In addition to repointing the brick inte- rior of the light tower, the scope of work for Phase II restoration includes items such as: The removal of old coatings from the exterior of the brick entryway building, repairing dam- aged brick, and then recoating, as well as making repairs to existing windows, repaint- ing the interior staircase and cleaning the staining on the exterior of the tower prior to
recoating.
The American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF) and its chapter Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse (FPPL), serve as caretakers of the light tower at Pemaquid Point, which is federally owned by the United States Coast Guard and licensed to the nonprofit group for preservation and public education purposes. Facilitating Phase II restoration at the site is a team effort that includes ALF and FPPL funding and managing the project, the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and U.S. Coast Guard approving of the pres- ervation treatments and overseeing the project and J.B. Leslie Company, Inc. con- ducting the actual professional restoration work.
This latest restoration work will be com- pleted prior to the start of the 2010 summer season.
Thanks to the volunteer efforts of the Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, the light tower is open to the public seven days
A C A D E M Y N E W S
Continued from Page 9.
National Council of State Legislatures An- nual Meeting in Texas for his lifelong commit- ment to higher education.
Citing economic development as a top priority, Michaud sponsored legislation cre- ating the Northern Border Regional Commis- sion. The commission is authorized to invest $30 million per year in federal resources for economic development and job creation in the most economically distressed areas of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.
Michaud attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University. He was awarded a Doc- tor of Public Service from Unity College, Unity, Maine, and a Doctor of Public Service from Husson College, Bangor.
MAINE MARITIME ACADEMY WEATHER STATION DATA AVAILABLE ONLINE
Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) me- teorology classes began using a new, state- of the-art weather station this semester. Ac- cording to meteorology instructor, Captain Andy Chase, professor of marine transporta- tion, the new system provides real-time
weather data for class use and provides easy online access to the data for the community. The system records wind, temperature, hu- midity, precipitation, and barometric pres- sure. Visual graphs will assist students and the community to interpret conditions and identify trends.
The new system is solar powered and utilizes wireless technology to convey infor- mation from the collection unit to campus servers. The unit sends data wirelessly to the base station located in Dismukes Hall, the college’s main academic building. The data is then uploaded automatically to a website that feeds current weather conditions to the college’s website
www.mainemaritime.edu. “This new system is a tremendous teaching tool for our students and the com- munity alike,” said Chase. “We hope that our surrounding community, from schools to mariners to meteorology enthusiasts, will find their local weather conditions useful and informative.” Visit Maine Maritime Academy’s weather station for Castine, Maine, conditions at http://
www.weatherlink.com/user/mainemaritime/. They are also available in a graphical, archived format at the Citizen Weather Ob- server website at
http://www.findu.com/cgi- bin/
wxpage.cgi?call=CW0730!Castine&last=120
a week from Memorial Day through Colum- bus Day, and offers individuals or families a one-of-a-kind cultural experience along the Midcoast of Maine.
Restoration Work Continues at Pemaquid Point Light Despite Stormy Weather
(Phase II Restoration of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is an $83,000 project being funded and managed by the nonprofit Ameri- can Lighthouse Foundation and ALF chap- ter, Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse) The week of March 22, 2010 featured a roller coaster ride in weather that included everything from sunshine and seasonable temperatures to a northeast gale that dropped up to three inches of rain along Midcoast Maine on March 24th. By Friday, March 26th, the elements had run the gamut of weather conditions by bringing a blast of arctic air and a coating of snow to the region, which served as a chilly reminder that spring has yet to fully settle in. Through it all, the crews of J.B. Leslie Company, Inc. continued with their interior restoration work of Pemaquid Point Light- house as the project reached its second week of activity.
During the northeast gale, crews spent their day completing cutting out the mortar joints along the tower’s interior brickwork as driving rain and howling winds raged on outside the lighthouse.
Rainwater fell in steady drip-like fashion down through the shaft of the tower during the course of the day, landing upon the masons and their tools, and mixing unpleas- antly with mortar dust inside the structure, which compounded the work associated with daily cleanup.
Ironically, Phase II restoration is de-
signed to address the water leakage problem inside the tower, but on this day, the north- east gale and its penetrating rain inflicted another round of unwanted moisture inside the lighthouse. Thankfully, restoration mea- sures will remedy this situation as the project progresses, so the days of this longstanding problem are numbered.
Once crews completed cutting out the joints of the brickwork, they moved on to removing traces of plaster, paint and dust from the bricks and joints.
On Friday, March 26th, J.B. Leslie Com- pany began the initial tuck-pointing efforts with natural cement as part of the extensive repointing process.
In addition, the crews disassembled wooden panels along the lantern’s interior parapet to assess where hidden water pen- etration was occurring and to examine the condition of the woodwork much of which is suffering from excessive moisture, cracking and rot.
Tuck pointing efforts will continue next week as the project enters its third week of activity.
Fourteen days into the project, the tem- peratures in March have reached into the 60s and dropped to a low of 14 degrees, with brilliant sunshine, heavy rain, wind and even snow all playing a part in the interesting weather mix.
Through it all, J.B. Leslie Company, Inc. hasn’t missed a beat, and in fact, unlike the weather of late, the crews’ efforts are “heat- ing up” as history continues to unfold. To learn more about the American Light- house Foundation and the Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, visit:
www.LighthouseFoundation.org or call 207- 594-4174
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