Restoration of Bakers Island Lighthouse Completed

The Essex National Heritage Commission announced this week the completion of restoration of the exterior of the 1821 Bakers Island Lighthouse.

Bakers Island Light Station is located on Bakers Island in Salem Sound, a 60-acre island with a large summer colony. The 10-acre light station is located in the northwest quadrant of the island, and has been owned and operated by the federal government since 1798.

Currently the only way for the public to access the island is aboard the commission’s landing craft - the Naumkeag.

To get boat tour and schedule information: Public Access to Bakers Island Light Station For First Time in 70 Years

The project was made possible through a special projects grant from the Colonel Timothy Pickering Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, according to the Essex National Heritage Commission.

The DAR grant provided Essex Heritage with the impetus to launch an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign to raise the matching funds.

The Restoration Entailed:

• Cleaning the exterior and removing the lichen and mold
• Patching and re-stuccoing all the areas where the stucco was missing – especially on the north side where the winter storms had pummeled the tower with rocks tossed up by the sea
• Replacing two rotten windows that had been installed in 1996
• Removing the rust and patching the pitted surface of the lantern room on top of the tower
• Repainting the lantern room
• Resurfacing the entire masonry surface of the granite stone tower with Keim mineral stone coating – which has restored the tower to its original white appearance

“We are extremely honored to receive this very generous donation from the Daughters of the Revolution. We realize that there is competition from every state for these significant historic preservation grants, and are thrilled that the lighthouse was selected in this very competitive process,” said Annie Harris, CEO of Essex National Heritage Commission in a statement.

About the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and support better education for our nation’s children. Its members are descended from patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With 178,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world’s largest and most active service organizations. To learn more about the work of today’s DAR, visit www.DAR.org.

About Essex Heritage and the Essex National Heritage Area

Essex Heritage is the non-profit organization that manages the Essex National Heritage Area by developing programs that enhance, preserve and encourage recreation, education, conservation and interpretation projects on Boston’s North Shore and the Lower Merrimack River Valley. The Essex National Heritage Area is comprised of the 34 cities and towns of Essex County, MA. For more information, visit www.EssexHeritage.org or call (978) 740-0444.

Photo Credit: Essex National Heritage Commission