Interest in the history and preservation of lighthouses has never been stronger. Lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic Coast details the history of lighthouses and much more, and shows why these structures continue to fascinate us. Discover what life for lighthouse keepers was really like. Learn about the history of U.S. colonial lighthouses and the role lighthouses have played in several wars. Meet the brave, nefarious, and colorful characters who served as lighthouse keepers and government overseers. Learn about lighthouse technology and architecture and find out how these treasures are being preserved.
Sixteen lighthouses were built before the Revolution; hundreds more have been built since, creating the world's most complex system of navigational aid. No other national lighthouse system compares with that of the United States in size and diversity of architecture and engineering.
Lighthouses were built on the Hudson River in New York between 1826 to 1921 to help guide freight and passenger traffic. One of the most famous was the iconic Statue of Liberty. This fascinating history with photos will bring the time of traffic along the river alive. Set against the backdrop of purple mountains, lush hillsides, and tidal wetlands, the lighthouses of the Hudson River were built between 1826 and 1921 to improve navigational safety on a river teeming with freight and passenger traffic. Unlike the towering beacons of the seacoasts, these river lighthouses were architecturally diverse, ranging from short conical towers to elaborate Victorian houses. Operated by men and women who at times risked and lost their lives in service of safe navigation, these beacons have overseen more than a century of extraordinary technological and social change. Of the dozens of historic lighthouses and beacons that once dotted the Hudson River, just eight remain, including the iconic Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor's great monument to freedom and immigration, which served as an official lighthouse between 1886 and 1902. Hudson River Lighthouses invites readers to explore these unique icons and their fascinating stories.
Interest in the history and preservation of lighthouses has never been stronger. Lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic Coast details the history of lighthouses and much more, and shows why these structures continue to fascinate us. Discover what life for lighthouse keepers was really like. Learn about the history of U.S. colonial lighthouses and the role lighthouses have played in several wars. Meet the brave, nefarious, and colorful characters who served as lighthouse keepers and government overseers. Learn about lighthouse technology and architecture and find out how these treasures are being preserved.
The rapid development of ocean navigation and deep-sea fishing in the nineteenth century led to a dramatic rise in shipwrecks. Tens of thousands of sailors disappeared over the course of the century. The great nations that border the North Atlantic found a technological answer to this human disaster: they developed a spectacular network of lighthouses along their coastlines. These constructions pay homage to those lost at sea and celebrate the genius of modern civilization. Whether on immense cliffs or on reefs submerged at every high tide, man has strived to erect constructions of such resistance that we can only marvel at them today. Built on snow-covered slopes of lava, overlooking spectacular rocks that seem to have sprung only recently from the earth, isolated on small outcrops out to sea, stretched to their limits under the shock of the waves; often festive, dressed in bright colors or pastel shades, magnified by the rays of light between stormy showers, they are always a delight for the eyes. Lighthouses have served humanity for thousands of years. Today's lighthouses, whether old or new, man-powered or electronically operated, are monuments to man's will to challenge the elements. Steeped in history and tales of heroism, theseintriguing edifices have an extraordinary capacity to capture the public imagination. For North Atlantic Lighthouses, acclaimed maritime photographer Jean Guichard has undertaken a series of helicopter flights to take new images of nearly one hundred of the finest lighthouses all over the North Atlantic, from the United States and Canada to Iceland, the British Isles, and France. Guichard perfectly captures the symbolic strength of his subject matter, producing captivating images in all seasons, from the calm summer months when the lighthouses can have a lick of paint, to the wild winter storms that batter them and test their resilience to the utmost. Author Ken Trethewey relates the history of lighthouses along the Atlantic coast, highlighting both their common past but also the characteristics specific to each country or region. The book is completed by a detailed guide giving technical descriptions of all the lighthouses photographed, maps locating the lighthouses, and a brief history of each light.
From the busy Atlantic waters to the rugged Pacific coast, explore the country's most historic and beautiful lighthouses with amazing 3-D pop-ups. Lighthouses! A Pop-Up Gallery of America's Most Beloved Beacons features more than 25 color photographs and original illustrations showcasing America's coastal guardians. From the historical to the technical, author Al Mitchell, a renowned expert in the field of lighthouse study, explains the important roles played by each beacon through the years. This unique tribute includes 5 amazing, architecturally accurate 3-D pop-ups designed by acclaimed paper engineer Linda Costello. Beautifully illustrated pop-ups stand approximately 9 1/2 inches tall and 5 inches in diameter and demonstrate each lighthouse's unique design and function. Pop-ups include some of the most famous landmarks in the country: Cape Hatteras Light, North Carolina's distinctive black-and-white barber pole; Old Point Loma Light, the beacon for California's Gold rush traffic; and Florida's prominent Ponce de Leon Inlet Light. This is the ultimate book for admirers of lighthouses and architecture.
