Lighthouses are really fascinating structures. Not just for the architecture themselves, which are very unique to be sure. The tall spiral column poking at the sky seems hardly practical as a domicile. Which in fact is exactly not what it is supposed to be. Lighthouses serve a different purpose, and if you asked a dozen different people they would most likely tell you the same thing. Lighthouses are intended to warn boats away, and keep them from crashing into the shore.

But, apart from the prime function, and their slightly adherent architecture, lighthouses are very symbolic creatures. And they have been quite often represented that way in popular photography and art. Now, if you ask those same dozen or so people from our prior query, what do lighthouses represent then you are bound to get a dozen very different answers.

Lighthouses represent a beacon to guide you on your way. A prophetic leader who knows the way to safety that you would follow to the ends of the earth. Lighthouses could represent singular solitude. They really do their jobs all alone. Day and night. Isolated from the rest of the world by the nature of their work. And the lighthouse keepers themselves could attest to the very solitude of the job.

People seem to acquire a deep emotional attachment to lighthouses. From capturing them in paintings, photographs, prints and framed posters to actual preservation. There have been lighthouse preservation societies springing up all over the world as many of these solitary beacons begin to fall into disrepair. Many of their functions now being handled by technically more advanced apparatus.

You can of course have your very own lighthouse posters anytime you want. Their prints are everywhere. From calm serene Cape Cod style lighthouses painted with red and white stripes like an old style barbers pole to very dramatic pictures of lighthouse being tormented by the very storms they’re sworn to protect sailors from.

There’s one very dramatic series of posters the La Jument Lighthouse by Jean Guichard. The lighthouse is being bombarded by an incredible storm, when Jean Guichard shows up to photograph the storm and the lighthouse via helicopter. The keeper thinking that the helicopter is there to rescue them, bravely ventures out to look, but ducks back inside, seconds before being washed to sea by a monstrous wave. The event is recorded on film, and makes for one of the most dramatic series of lighthouse photographs ever.

Named for the Spanish sailor Don Bruno Heceta who discovered the location in 1755, the Heceta Head Lighthouse sits in a beautiful location on the coast of Oregon just north of Florence.

Formerly known as Devil’s Elbow State Park, the area includes the cove south of the lighthouse and the lighthouse itself. The area has since been renamed Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint.

From the head keeper’s house, perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, you get a magnificent view of the water and the beach below. Because of its beautiful setting, Heceta Head Light is said to be the most photographed lighthouse in the United States.

The lighthouse tower itself is 56 feet tall and sits 205 feet above sea level. The Heceta Head Lighthouse is known to be the most powerful light on the Oregon coast. Its light can be seen 21 miles out to sea and is hampered only by the curvature of the earth.

Construction of the lighthouse began in 1892. The project completion was hampered and delayed by the cliff-top site since nothing could be done until the roads were built in order for the supplies to be brought up to the site. Although the complete project was said to have taken about 5 years, the light itself was lit for the first time in March of 1894.

The original construction consisted of the lighthouse tower, a single buidling that served as a home for the head keeper, a duplex building where the two assistant keepers lived and several storage type buildings. The single building was demolished in 1940 and the lumber was used to build The Alpha-Bit Cafe in Mapleton, Oregon, about 14 miles east of the lighthouse. The lighthouse was automated in 1963 and there was no longer a need for a lightkeeper.

The lighthouse tower itself is not thought to be haunted, but stories about strange happenings at Heceta House have been told for years, landing it on the list of the ten most haunted houses in the United States. The spirit of a lady nicknamed Rue, or the “Gray Lady” is reportedly the resident ghost of Heceta House.

Nearly every resident since the 1950s has reported unusual incidents and those reports continue to this day. All of the incidents have been friendly; maybe sometimes mischevious. Although no official records have been found, there is a grave of an infant girl on the premesis. Many people believe the spirit of the infant girl’s mother still haunts the location, possibly watching over her little girl.

This lady ghost nicknamed “Rue” doesn’t seem to like it when construction is done or changes are made to the buildings. Reportedly some volunteer workers had gone up to the location to do some painting and were spending the night. Through the night, the fire alarm kept going off. Even though no fire was discovered, the alarm continued to go off. After growing tired of being woken up by the sound of the alarm, they removed the battery, but to no avail. The alarm sounded yet again. Perhaps Rue didn’t like the color of paint they were using?

Probably the most widely known incident reported at the Heceta House is that of a workman who came face to face with Rue in the attic. He was so startled that he fled the building and refused to go back into the attic.

A few days later, he accidentally broke the attic window when he was working on the exterior of the building. Since he refuseed to actually go inside the attic, he repaired the window from the outside and the broken glass was left scattered on the floor of the attic. That night, workers reported hearing scraping noises coming from the attic. In the morning when they went to the attic to investigate, they found that the glass had been swept into a neat pile beneath the repaired window.

Rue has other ways of making her presence known including moving random objects, opening and closing cupboard doors, peering down at people from the attic window, and appearing as a smoky gray mist - thus the nickname “Gray Lady”.

Heceta house is now a renowned bed and breakfast that has become so popular that there is a three-month waiting list for reservations. Both the lighthouse and the light keeper’s house are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Most yachtsmen sailing the Irish Sea will be familiar with Anglesey lighthouses.

When they approach Anglesey from the north or from Dublin bay in the west it’s not long before they spot Skerries lighthouse.

Today this Trinity House lighthouse on Skerries Rock is fully automated and at 23 metres in height, its white flashing light can be seen up to 22 miles away.

The rock even receives regular visits from an RSPB bird watching team, who monitor one of the largest tern colonies in the world.

But almost 200 years ago, it was an Irishman called William Trench, who in 1713 took out a 99 year lease on Skerries from William Robinson, a local landowner.

Trench’s perseverance paid off and in 1716 saw the first Skerries Lighthouse in operation. Admittedly it was only a 35 foot high tower with an open grate, and a flame provided by burning coal.

But William Trench the businessman charged a levy per tonne on all passing ships except the British Navy, and in 1730 they totalled about £1,100 ($2,200) every year (assuming £1=$2).

Over the following years the fees increased until by 1828 the light fees were a staggering £11,800.

Ownership changed hands over this period and eventually the Trinity House Corporation purchased the freehold of Skerries Lighthouse for £445,000 ($990,000) in 1841.

Sailing through the Langdon Ridge, the channel between Skerries Rock and Carmel Head on Anglesey is a major navigational challenge at the best of times.

Many yachtsmen will choose not to sail through Langdon Ridge at night because of the strong tidal currents and proximity of the rocks.

If you sail at the wrong time, because you misread the tide tables, for example, you will make virtually no headway as the tidal current is so powerful.

With a full flood tide sweeping up behind you from Holyhead Bay to the west, it’s possible to make considerable progress “over the land” passing Cemlyn Nature Reserve and Wylfa Nuclear Power Station nearby.

Sailing around this island coastline is great. You can enjoy the wide variety of wildlife - dolphins, seals, razorbills and guillemots - and wonder at the history behind the reassuring presence of the Anglesey Lighthouses.

Sailors heading for St Mary’s on the Isle of Man can leave Holyhead with a plan to approach Skerries Lighthouse at low water, giving them the best part of six hours flood tide to get to their northward destination.

So from the time of William Trench almost 200 years ago, Skerries is a fine example of service to the maritime community and deserves its place in the hall of fame of Anglesey Lighthouses.

Vacationing in Michigan is a great option if the economy is getting you down. There are a lot of things to see and do that don’t cost a lot of money. One great option is to take a road trip to explore the state’s lighthouses, waterfalls and or covered bridges - maybe even all three.

While you may balk at such a road trip because of fuel prices, it really wouldn’t be expensive at all because many of these sites have no admission charge. Here are some interesting details to consider.

Lighthouses: Did you know there are 115 lighthouses in Michigan, many of them still operational. Some, like those at Whitefish Point in the Upper Peninsula or Pointe Aux Barques in Thumb of the Lower Peninsula, have museums that will inform and entertain both children and adults. Others, like Charity Island Lighthouse has a bed-and-breakfast attached so you can actually experience life at a lighthouse. “Pure Michigan,” the state’s official travel and tourism website will help you find interesting lighthouses all over the state.

Waterfalls: Michigan has 166 waterfalls throughout the state. Tahquamenon Falls, with its upper and lower falls, is probably the most well known, but there are many others that are worth visiting. Some of them may be a little rugged and hard to get to but all of them give you a chance to get out of the car and go for a fun stroll with your kids. Most of Michigan’s waterfalls are located in the Upper Peninsula.

Covered Bridges: While the U.P. wins the prize for the most waterfalls, the Lower Peninsula takes the prize for covered bridges. There are currently nine covered bridges left in the state and there are efforts underway to preserve them. Some of the bridges, like those in Frankenmuth and at Dearborn’s Greenfield Village, are in museum settings. Others, such as the Langley Covered Bridge are on currently used roads. (By the way, the Langley Covered Bridge is one of the longest in the nation, according to Wikipedia.)

While you explore these features, you and your kids will be learning a lot about our state. You will learn about the flora and fauna, about our maritime history and about how people lived in times long past. Do you think you could live the life of a lighthouse keeper or figure out how to build a covered bridge that would last?

To find out more about Michigan’s lighthouses, waterfalls and covered bridges, use your favorite search engine. You will find plenty of websites that will help you plan your trip. You probably won’t get to see them all in one trip, but perhaps this can be a start of an annual tradition.

Visiting any of these sites is a great way to explore Michigan. Remember, half the fun of such outings is in the trip itself: You’ll visit little-known parts of the state and see what life is like away from the busy cities. Take lots of pictures because these will be excursions that you and your family will long remember.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse sits on the north end of Anastasia Island in St. Augustine, Florida. The current tower, which was built in 1874, rises to 165 feet above sea level. The original lighthouse, built in 1824, was approximately 500 yards northeast of the current lighthouse. Due to the receding shoreline, it fell into the ocean back in 1880.

Throughout its early history, the lighthouse employed up to three lightkeepers at a time. There was a head keeper and two assistants. In 1955, when the lighthouse was automated, there was no longer a need for lightkeepers and the last one left at that time. The lightkeepers, who would actually live on site, were replaced by lamplighters, who would tend the light but didn’t actually live there.

According to the lighthouse’s official website, there have been seven people who have died on the lighthouse grounds: three lightkeepers, a keeper’s wife and three young girls. Several of these are said to have died of natural causes. One man fell to his death from the original lighthouse in 1859, and the three girls died in a tragic drowning accident.

The lighthouse and its surrounding buildings have a long history of paranormal activity and stories of the hautings have been passed on and have been featured in popular television shows, books, and local lore for decades. Visitors and workers say they have seen moving shadows and heard voices along with unexplained sounds. Some tour guides claim they hear someone climbing the tower steps, but the footfalls fade away, and no one is ever there at the top of the tower. There is also said to be a little girl who likes to play pranks residing in the keeper’s house, a tall man in the basement, and a spirit who likes to play with the merchandise in the gift shop. One former keeper was infamous for enjoying his cigars. Today, the scent of his cigar can still be detected several times a week.

Several employees have reportedly seen a hazy male figure walking through the lighthouse. Footsteps from an unseen presence can be heard shuffling on the gravel and the steps outside the lighthouse. Other reports are of a woman seen on the lighthouse stairway or walking in the yard outside the buildings.

Perhaps the most famous tragic story is that of three young girls who died during the construction of the second lighthouse. The story says that there was a rail car or some type of vehicle that went from the light station to the ocean. The children liked to play on it and ride on it for fun. On July 10, 1873, the cart somehow ended up in the water. Five children fell into the water and some of the Workers managed to save a boy and a girl. Two of the construction superintendent’s daughters, Mary and Eliza, and a young black girl, either a servant or the daughter of a worker, drowned.

It’s said that today, the girls can be heard laughing in the tower late at night. The eldest of the construction superintendent’s daughters, Mary, has also been spotted wearing the same blue velvet dress and blue hair bow she was wearing when she died. Reports also say that the the figures of two little girls can sometimes be seen standing on the lighthouse catwalk.

For years there have been reports of a large dark, male spirit that hangs around the water collecting cisterns in the basement. Supposedly he was a sailor or a former lightkeeper who hung himself in the lighthouse in the 1930’s. According to the lighthouse’s website, there isn’t any proof or evidence that anyone ever hung him/herself there.

History says that the original owner of the lighthouse was forced to sell it to the government in 1865 because it was believed that the land under the lighthouse was receding and the ocean would eventually swallow it. The state offered to buy the lighthouse for alot less than it was worth and he refused to sell. The government then threatened to take the lighthouse via eminent domain and give him nothing. At this point, the former owner was outraged and vowed never to leave the lighthouse. Lighthouse staff say he seems to have kept his vow as his spirit is sometimes seen late at night walking in and around the property.

One of my favorite episodes of Ghost Hunters was filmed at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) stopped by to see if they could prove or disprove any of the hauntings. During the episode, they caught a few interesting things on both video and audio. There was a female voice that seemed to say “help me” a few times on the audio recording. The video camera captured a dark figure moving really quickly up the circular staircase and then stopping to look over the railing down at the camera crew from the top floor. The figure then disappeared. When Jason and Grant went to investigate, they realized the door at the top which would be the only exit was padlocked from the inside. There was also a motion detection light that never came on until the TAPS guys got up there. Overall, with the evidence they captured, the guys determined that they really couldn’t prove the place wasn’t haunted.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is currently owned and maintained by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum, Inc. The lighthouse is operational and is is an official, privately-owned, active aid to navigation. The museum is open to the public and the admission price funds preservation of the lighthouse and programs in maritime archeology and education. The lighthouse offers night tours of the site, though they don’t promise any ghosts.

Lighthouses offer a mystic of days gone by. There is a fascination about them and what the lives were like for people who operated them.I got interested in them when I found one in Mexico that was named after me. Well maybe not really named after me but with the same name. I started collecting pictures and statues and didn’t seem to know when to quit.

The Scenic Oregon Coast has 9 lighthouses, 2 private ones and a Lightship. Most of them have been restored and offer a look back to Oregon’s past. It makes you wonder how a light keeper and his family could live by them and still survive. Most of them were exposed to the Pacific Ocean wind all of the time.

There are some great stories about some of the lighthouses in Oregon. At one lighthouse in Oregon the light keeper and his family would actually have to crawl on their hands and knees to get from the lighthouse to their house because the wind was so strong.

One lighthouse that was located 1 1/2 miles from shore was closed down because it was to dangerous for people there and the lighthouse needed some repair. It was sold in 1980 to a real estate developer and a group of investors for $50,000. The structure was gutted and turned into the Eternity at Sea Columbarium. The only problem is that they went broke and had to close it down. The cremated remains of many people are still located there.

Some of the lighthouse are said to be haunted. Light keepers at the Tillamook Light reported hearing low, bone-chilling groans. It quickly became know as a mysterious and haunted lighthouse.Most of Oregon’s lighthouses are open to the public. They are a lot of fun to tour and see how they were operated in the late 1800’s.

There are many stories about the lighthouses and how they were originally built. When some of them were built, lives were lost just trying to get the material to the area. You have to remember that this was in the 1800’s and they didn’t have some of the modern equipment that we have now days.

At the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse even today you can’t land a boat there because it is so treacherous. They had to use pulleys to get the supplies to the rock off shore.

The Heceta Head Lighthouse is located on the Central Oregon Coast and is a lot of fun to explore. The original head light keepers house has been turned into a Bed & Breakfast and is even said to have a ghost. If you believe in ghosts it is a great place to stay and the view is outstanding.

Nautical themed interior designs are very popular right now, especially for anyone with a love of the water. Even if you choose to stay on dry land, you can still have a nautical touch in your home and use antique ship pieces, lighthouses and seashells that will make you feel like you’re in the middle of the ocean. Lighting is, of course, one of the most important elements of interior design, so it would stand to reason that nautical lamps of all shapes and sizes should be incorporated in yours.

Lighthouses are a very recognizable symbol, and represent many things for many people. For anyone who loves to travel, each lighthouse can represent a place they’ve visited or hope to someday. More metaphorically, lighthouses symbolize a warning of danger ahead, as well as a beacon over the horizon guiding you home. Nautical lamps in the shapes and colors of familiar lighthouses will make you smile every time you turn them on. They don’t necessarily have to be an exact replica. Even having some of the same colors and an overall style can accent a nautical theme.

Antique ship pieces can be made into spectacular nautical lamps to go along with your theme. Lanterns traditionally used on old fashioned fishing boats can be reconditioned and used as lighting in your home or office. It may take a little legwork, as they are not often easy to come by, but scouring antique dealers is the best way to track down these pieces. If you live on or around the east coast, or you are planning a visit sometime soon, keep an eye on antique shops and other stores that may have nautical themed lamps and other lighting.

Nautical themes don’t necessarily have to be representative of ships and lighthouses. There is other life in the ocean that can be incorporated into your design. For a child’s room, brightly colored fish on the walls on top of blue paint can be a whimsical trip to the ocean floor. Nautical lamps can be decorated with the same brightly colored fish or other sea life. You can even use real coral and seashells to make your own decorative and creative lamps. This is something that kids can help you with and they will appreciate being a part of decorating their own living space. Whether you make your own lamps, buy them brand new or refurbish real ones, you can feel like you are on the ocean or even in it any time you like.

The Morris Island Lighthouse is one of two lighthouses in Charleston, SC. Since it is located only about 300 yards off the north end of Folly Beach, the lighthouse has become somewhat of a symbol for Folly Beach and even James Island. The Morris Island Lighthouse has received a lot of attention recently because the island it sits on has shifted dramatically.

When the lighthouse was built in 1876, fifteen buildings surrounded it on Morris Island for the keeper and his family. And, most people don’t know that it was painted with black and white stripes after the Bodie Lighthouse in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Problems began in 1889 when jetties were built to improve the channel leading into the Charleston Harbor. These jetties changed the currents around the channel, threatening Morris Island with erosion. Due to this erosion, some of the buildings surrounding the lighthouse were moved to a safer area, and the light was automated in 1938.

By 1962 the Morris Island lighthouse was decommissioned and replaced with the lighthouse on Sullivan’s Island. When the United States Coast Guard announced that it was going to tear down the lighthouse, Charleston residents collected a petition to save it.

The Morris Island Lighthouse passed through the hands of several private owners from 1965 to 1999, when an organization called Save the Light purchased it for $75,000. Save the Light has raised over $700,000 to preserve the Morris Island Lighthouse. What began as a grass-roots campaign is now a three-hundred-member organization with money and support coming from people as far away as Italy. Save the Light plans to work with the Army Corps of Engineers to preserve the lighthouse.