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.

01 January 2015

A Michigan Beauty - Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse

The Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse is located on the Straits of Mackinac near Mackinaw City, MI. It was built of Cream City Brick in 1892. The tower is 13-feet in diameter and stands 49-feet tall. The lantern room was fitted with a fourth-order Fresnel lens which its light was visible for 16-miles. Originally the light flashed red but in 1913 was changed to flash a white light. The tower is attached to a two-story rectangular keeper's dwelling which has two separate dwellings under one roof. The lighthouse remained in service providing navigational aid to mariners until 1957. After the opening of the Mackinac Bridge, mariners used the lights on the bridge instead of the lighthouse to guide them, thus making the lighthouse non-essential for navigation.

At the time of my visit here in 1998, the lighthouse served as a museum under the Mackinac Island State Park Commission.

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2 comments:

Judy watters said...

So beautiful. I can see myself living at almost every one of these lighthouses.

Thu Jan 01, 03:26:00 PM CST
Al said...

Hi Judy; Glad you enjoyed this lighthouse and its beauty. As far as living in it, keep in mind it's very cold in Michigan in the winter, so you'll have to dress warm.

Thu Jan 01, 04:20:00 PM CST

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