About Me

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After retirement, for two summers I worked as a tour guide at the Umpqua River Lighthouse in Oregon. This opportunity enabled me to learn more about that lighthouse than any of the others I've seen. Although I have personally visited and photographed over 300 lighthouses in the United States and three Provinces in Canada, the Umpqua River Lighthouse has special meaning for me. That Lighthouse inspired me to write two fictional books with the characters working, living, and enduring the challenges of lighthouse keeping. All pictures posted in this blog were taken by myself, unless noted otherwise.

Book Info.

I hope you will find time to enjoy my books. Preview the book covers below at the right side of page.

Book #1: "The Wickie and the Umpqua Lighthouse." Detail: "The Wickie and the Umpqua Lighthouse" is an 1860's story about the lighthouse keepers and their families at the Umpqua River Lighthouse. It will stir your emotions and warm your heart. Discover the challenges they met but never expected, and their determination to maintain navigational aid to mariners on the Oregon coast. (Wickie is a nickname used by the early lighthouse keepers at the Umpqua River Lighthouse in OR.)

Book #2: "Spirit of The Lighthouse" is a sequel to The Wickie. Detail: Jesse Fayette, assistant keeper at the Umpqua River Lighthouse, finds himself alone to operate and maintain an Oregon lighthouse after the accidental death of his head keeper. After notifying the Lighthouse Board and requesting help, he is surprised but must deal with an acquaintance, Red Saunders, who believes the lighthouse is haunted.

Book #3: "Unexpected Moments" has a different theme than those of Book #1 and #2. Detail: Dan and Megan, as well as their old friends Jim and Anna, experience unexpected moments of hardships and tragedies in Arizona and California. Will they survive these unexpected moments and find any hope for their futures?

All of my books are available on Amazon.

11 September 2014

Illinois Beauty - The Gross Point Lighthouse


                             
The Gross Point Lighthouse is located in Evanston, IL. This lighthouse is almost hidden among the other houses and trees in the neighborhood. The lighthouse tower built in 1873 stands 90-feet tall and is made of brick. The lantern room houses a second-order Fresnel lens, and the focal plane of its light was 121-feet above the lake.The adjoining duplex keeper's dwelling and brick fog signal building were added in 1880. In 1935 the light was converted to electricity and then automated.

At the time of my visit here in 2002, the lantern room still housed the Fresnel lens.

                                            Rear view of the tower
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2 comments:

Judy Watters said...

Hi Al, This is beautiful. I wonder if someone lives there now. I would move there in a heartbeat if it wasn't so near Chicago :)

Thu Sep 11, 09:11:00 PM CDT
Al said...

Thank you, Judy, for your comment and glad you especially enjoy this lighthouse. I honestly don't know if anyone is living in the lighthouse. Al

Fri Sep 12, 01:41:00 PM CDT

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