The Lightkeeper's Blog

This is an easy one to write. The pictures tell most of the story.

On Thursday October 6, 2022 the lantern room placed at the top of Scituate Light in 1930 by the Town of Scituate in order to demonstrate the town’s commitment to the care of its public buildings was removed. Time and weather had eroded the iron bars that ran along side each window and dove into the body of the tower. Initially the concern had focused on the decay in the copper. After a challenging period seeking engineering expertise, (5 engineering firms did not return calls seeking a consultation) the Society was able to hire Anne Gilbert of Rivermoor Engineering to establish the condition of the lantern room. That work continued until cut off by the pandemic quarantine. The Town then requested a reset of the project with a new proposal to address all that had been uncovered. Those funds became available on July 1 and additional study led to the decision to remove the lantern room.

Captured by cameras mounted around the site, my favorite moment occurs just as the lantern room touches down. On the top of the tower two of the team from Cenaxo fist bump. Watch for it. They knew it was a job done well.

A new gallery will be added to the top menu of this site where I will add the photographs from the day. There are a lot of them. There will also be a time elapse video in time from another camera that began recording at 6:30 that morning and was shut down at 11:30. That might take some time but I am hoping to have it ready by the end of this extended weekend.

In answer to the most frequently asked question: we don’t know when a new room and a new light will return to the top of the tower. I will be asking as often as anyone. Readers will know when I know.

The second most asked question: Is the lantern room going to stay where it is right now? The answer to that is I hope not. Long time readers have seen the images of the yard awash with waves and stone. Where the lantern room is placed right now it threatens the kitchen wing were the right tide and wind combine.