A great site to visit, a great award program for those who seek awards for their sites.

   

The Lighthouse of Life  Vacation Bible School for 2009 By Rev. Daniel L. Wheeler

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Coming for 2009  The Lighthouse of Life  Vacation Bible School Program. Available for downloading in Dec of 2008. Sign up today for this new and exciting Vacation Bible School Program for your church. Like all our materials it is free. New and exciting crafts and activities based upon Mathew 5:16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. A good foundation, the construction of any program must have a solid foundation. The programs of our ministry is built upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ and The Bible. Below is how a lighthouse is constructed.

                                                                                                                                                                     Construction of a lighthouse

To stand the test of time, just like a program a building must be placed upon a solid foundation.As in all buildings the most important part is the Foundation to which it stands.  Before the mid-19th century, lighthouse construction technology required solid rock or other stable foundation soils; onshore towers sometimes proved inadequate to warn ships off a shoal located offshore. In some locations a lighted buoy or a lightship solved this problem. Riverine and estuarine environments, however, often had unstable muddy and/or sandy bottoms which could not support the heavy masonry towers then in vogue They were anchored within a solid footing of the place where they were built.
Lighthouses are land based; close to a fourth have foundations built in the water. Lighthouses were built on land, in the water, on islands, on top of ledges and cliffs, on breakwaters and piers, on caissons, and at least five are on fort walls.
Other types of construction:   Onshore Lighthouse Construction Types
WoodLike many of the earliest construction materials is wood. Woodis one of the earliest lighthouse construction materials. Towers built before the nineteenth century were built of wood or rubblestone, materials that were readily available. Few early wooden towers survive because of their susceptibility to fire. Shown as part of twin towers at left, Plymouth Lighthouses [Gurnet Point] (1843), in Massachusetts, is one of the earliest surviving wooden towers.     Masonry Dressed stone or cut stone as it is called, combined with brick and concrete made up many lighthouses in the United States. The oldest standing masonry light tower today in the United States is the 85-foot-tall Sandy Hook Lighthouse built in (1764), New Jersey, which was built of cut stone. Builders preferred foundation for masonry lighthouses was bedrock but a method using wooden piles driven into the substrate and topped with timbers and/or rubblestone had to be used in regions, such as the coastal plain, where bedrock was lacking. Towers of stone and brick were typically built in the form of the frustum of a cone (a conical or pyramidal shape left by cutting off the top portion at a plane parallel to the base). Masonry walls of lighthouses are typically several feet thick at the base and decrease in thickness as they move upward, with heights ranging from 30 feet at Pinney Point built in (1836), Maryland, to the tallest lighthouse in the United States, is in constructed in (1870), located in North Carolina, at a height of some 197 feet. The foundation or  base of the tower was made thicker to support the ever increasing weight from above and to make it more stable. Cut or dressed stone, and later brick, permitted construction of taller and stronger towers because the weight could be more evenly distributed. The tapering sides were either conical, such as Boston Harbor house built in (1789), located in Massachusetts, or octagonal such as Cape Henry built in  (1792), in Virginia.

Brick :Since the dawn of time, bricks has been a proven building material. Bricks date back thousands of years. It is no wonder why lighthouse construction used brick.Today Over one half of surviving light stations use masonry construction; brick being the most common masonry material. Brick was first used as a lining material and later became a popular building material in areas, especially in the South, where local stone was not readily available. In the 1850s, the first "tall towers," towers over 150 feet, were constructed of brick and held first-order lenses. [The children make bricks from dirt,grass,water and construct a lighthouse for their church] We continue to use brick as it has ties with the Jew's in Egypt and their are many references to mud, and dirt within the Word of God, and simply children like to play in dirt]
Cast iron  Since cast iron was lighter than stone, was relatively inexpensive, could be shaped and was watertight and had a slow rate of deterioration it was used often in construction of light towers. The first cast-iron lighthouse was an octagonal tower built in 1803 at Swansea, S.Wales, U.K. The first cast-iron lighthouse in the New World was designed by Alexander Gorden, built in England and erected in Jamaica in 1840. The United States was quick to follow Gorden's concept when in 1844 it built a cast-iron tower on Long Island Head, Boston Harbor (this tower was replaced by another cast-iron tower in 1881 and a brick tower in 1900). Cast Iron
 plates were prefabricated offsite, numbered, and easily assembled into towers on site. The cast-iron plates were either segments of a cone or a flat surface, depending on the design chosen. The plates have flanges on all four sides which were fastened together by bolts. The interior of the tower was often lined with brick for added stability and insulation. In areas where shifting and eroding beaches were present, cast-iron-plate towers were designed so they could be disassembled and re-erected as needed. Cape Canaveral Lighthouse (1868), Florida, (at right) and Hunting Island Lighthouse (1875), South Carolina, are examples of this design; both having been successfully moved.
 Onshore skeletal  towers were built first of cast iron and later steel. They generally consisted of a central vertical stairway cylinder and four to eight slanting structural skeletal peripheral columns and were especially adapted to locations where a relatively light pile structure was required in mud or sand. This type of lighthouse structure was prefabricated offsite and reassembled onsite. Skeletal towers were often standardized. The most common form was four-legged tapered towers with diagonal bracing available in 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-foot heights. Cape Charles Lighthouse (1895), Virginia, (drawing at right), is the tallest skeletal lighthouse tower in the United States and at 191 feet is only 17 feet shorter than the tallest brick tower at Cape Hatteras. The skeletal type was often used for range lights.
Concrete towers reinforced with steel began to replace brick masonry towers at the beginning of the 20th century; the first was constructed in 1908 at Point Arena, California. Steel in concrete structures provided the tensile properties that concrete alone lacks. Most major reinforced concrete towers are found on the West Coast where they are best adapted to the dangers of earthquake damage. A series of art-moderne reinforced concrete lighthouses were built along the Alaska coast in the 1920s and 1930s, replacing earlier deteriorated wooden structures.

Lens.  The source of light in a in a lighthouse,  is called the "lamp" (whether electric or fueled by oil) and the concentration of the light shining out is by the "lens" or "optic". Originally lit by open fires and later candles, the Argand hollow wick lamp and parabolic reflector was developed around the year 1781 in Europe.  Here in the US,  the use of whale oil was used with solid wicks as the source of light until the Argand parabolic reflector system was introduced around 1810 by inventor Winslow Lewis.  In the early 1850's Colza oil [ A oil that comes from the seeds of a plant] replaced whale oil, but US farmers' lack of interest in growing this caused the service to switch to lard oil in the mid 1850s. Kerosene started replacing lard oil in the 1870s and the service was finally totally converted by the late 1880s. Electricity and carbide (acetylene gas) started to replace kerosene around the turn of the century.  From wood and coal to whale and lard oil that the keeper had to carry up the long stairs each night for the open burner lamp. This lamp used that lard oil. As you can see from the drawing, the lamp was much bigger than the electric equipment and was as tall as the interior of the lens. As impressive as it was, it only produced about 70,000 candlepower of light.

What is candle power? [ The intensity of a light, expressed in candles.] So it would be like lighting 70,000 candles at the same time burning.

 This was far less than the later kerosene and electric lighting systems.
As usual, the Light-house establishment gave  very detailed instructions on how to light the lens. Here is a small sample of those instructions:

1. To light a lamp, commence by raising the wick about one-third of an inch above the top of the burner, and light it at two opposite points, using for that purpose the small hand lamp (Lucerne) specially designed for lighting.

2. As soon as the flame commences to rise all around, and before it begins to smoke, lower the wick, and place the chimney in its holder. At first keep the wick low and the chimney high; afterward raise the wick to its proper height, and lower the chimney to its position, in succession, until a clear white flame is obtained at such height as the description of lamp requires.

To light lamps with two or more concentric wicks, commence with the inner one, which should be lowered as much as possible (without risk of extinguishing the light) as soon as it has caught all around; follow that same course with the next wick; having lighted all the wicks in regular order as prescribed for the inner one, commence raising them gradually and lower the chimney at the same time.
The flame of a burner of two or more concentric wicks requires about half an hour to reach its full development. Having lighted all the wicks and lowered them as directed, place the glass chimney on the burner and put on the damper; and then raise the wicks gradually, using the chimney and damper for obtaining the best and highest possible flame. The greatest height of flames of Funck's float-lamp, with lard oil for a First-order lamp, was 4 inches.

If a wick is elevated above a proper point, the flame may grow larger, but it will be dull and red; if the error is in the contrary direction, the flame will continue to be white, but without attaining such a height as is desired. For a light-house, just being seen wasn't enough. You also had to be easily identified in some way. This was important so sailors on ships would know which light-house they were looking at. Not only was it important for a light-house to be seen, each light-house had to be uniquely identifiable. That's why these vertical panels of prisms and lenses are so important. This round lens called "bull's eyes" produces a shaft of light called "pencil beams." Remember I said earlier that this lens has 24 panels? The pencil beam created by the bull's eye in each of those panels produced 24 spokes of light from the lens.

Here's why it's important to turn the lens at a precise rate. The lens made one complete rotation every four minutes with its 24 spokes of light. If you were looking at the lens from a fixed position, you would see a "flash" every 10 seconds. Four minutes (240 seconds) divided by 24 panels/spokes of light means a spoke of light would go by you every ten seconds. A flash every ten seconds was, and still is, Pigeon Point's signature or "characteristic." In the 19th Century 17 different signatures were in use by light-houses on the West Coast of the United States.

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A song that means so much to Rev. Dan Wheeler.

Ronnie Hinson  had never seen a lighthouse before he had written the song and didn’t understand what was so special about his song.  ‘What is so important about this song? What was –as we say  – what's all of the hoopla about?’  Ronnie was so intrigued by it, what it was about this song, that he got on his bicycle and rode 30 miles to find a lighthouse. “

“It was the first time that he had ever laid eyes on a lighthouse, unless as a child he might have seen one in a social studies book.  Ronnie parked his bike, chained it to a fence post, climbed up on a sand dune and for the first time – at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Santa Cruz, California, There he sat  and saw the lighthouse for the first time ever and  thought, ‘What a picture. What a scene.’ The ocean was gray. It was desolate looking. It was like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie but there stood the lighthouse; hope in the middle of all that dreary hopelessness.”  “Then Ronnie looked at his paper, a piece of toilet paper, and  saw the picture that he had never seen before. It came to life on that paper and tears ran down his face and he knew that there was something God had orchestrated. Now As Ronnie  look's  back and he remember's  how  God always kept him  humble with that one trip to the Lighthouse and remembering that " I didn’t even know what a lighthouse was when I wrote it." There has been times in the man's life I mean Dan Wheeler's life that I look back and see this old ship weary in the waves of life's storms and as always the 'light'  the beacon of hope has always been there to guide me out of the storms. That is why these words, and the author, Ronnie Hinson has touched my life with this special song. The Lighthouse".

Ronnie Hinson has penned the lyrics to some of Southern Gospel music's greatest songs. "The Lighthouse" is one such song that has indeed stood the test of times. It bears testimony to the power of God's Holy Spirit and His Word to lead wayward souls to the safe harbor of Christ's Grace. Ronnie is part of the group called The Hinsons. 

Lyrics to “The Lighthouse”

By Ronnie Hinson

There's a Lighthouse on the hillside
that overlooks life's sea.
When I'm tossed it sends out a light
 that I might see.
And the light that shines in the darkness,
now will safely lead us o'er.
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
that ship would be no more.

Everybody that lives around me says,
tear that lighthouse down,
The big ships don't sail this way anymore,
there's no use of it standing 'round.
Then my mind goes back to that stormy night,
when just in time I saw the light,
Yes, the light from that old lighthouse,
that stands up there on the hill.

And I thank God for the Lighthouse,
I owe my life to Him,
For Jesus is the Lighthouse,
and from the rocks of sin
He has shone a light around me
that I can clearly see,
If it wasn't for the Lighthouse
where would this ship be?

History

NEWS:

DISCOVERY: Oldest lighthouse at ancient Roman port

The New Anatolian / Ankara

February 6th 2008

Turkish archaeologists unearthed a 2000-year-old lighthouse at the ancient Roman port of Patara, near southern town of Kas, Antalya, discovering probably the oldest such structure that managed to remain intact. The 12-meter-high lighthouse was built under the reign of Emperor Nero who ruled from 54 to 68, Professor Havva Iskan Isik, head of the excavation team reported."The oldest known lighthouse is the one in Alexandria but there is nothing left of it. So, the lighthouse at the Patara port is the oldest one that has remained intact," she said. Isik said there might be a second lighthouse at the other edge of the port under a huge debris of soil, which she said was to be excavated at a later time.  The Egyptians where some of the world's most gifted builders.  Sostratus, a epyptian architect completed the Pharos Lighthouse around the year 270 B.C, duringthe reign of PtolemyII.  The lighthouse towered over the the island of Pharos, which was the main shipping port leading into  ALexandria. During the time of its construction, the Pharos Lighthouse was surpassed in size only by the size of the great pyramids. According to history it is recorded that the lighthouse stood a towering 450 and 600 feet in height. The sturcture was said to be truly impressive coated in white marble.

The Pharos Lighthouse is considered one of the 7 wonders of the Ancient World, and was the only wonder of the ancient world that had a practical purpose. Of all the wonders of the ancient world, the lighthouse was the last to vanish, for this reason history has records relating to its construction.

Construction Basic overview: The lighthouse was constructed in several stages. The lowest structure, the foundation, was square about 183 feet high. The middle part of the structure was octagonal and about 90 feet in height. The final level, the top, was circular and 24 feet tall. The total height of the building including the foundation base was roughly 384 feet. That is basically equivalent to a 40-story building in today's world. [See picture above right top]

The light, as it was told according to legend, was lit every evening via a bonfire using wood. During the day, a mirror made of a polished sheet of metal, was used to reflect the sun's rays to light the tower. It has been claimed according to legend  the light could be seen as far as 30 miles away.

There was a  mirror that helped to light the structure served a two-fold purpose, it was also used to spot enemy ships so that the navy could be properly alerted.
Over the centuries the structure took a beating from gale winds and storms and several earthquakes. By the year 1480, the structure was in total ruins and a  fort was built on its foundation where it stood. 

History of the lighthouse in America

Bonfires  on a hillside where first used to warn ships. Then as the first lighthouses were constructed using whale oil  with solid wicks as the source of light. Then in 1810 the parabolic reflector system was introduced into use.  Like mentioned above Colza oil (pressed from wild cabbages) replaced whale oil in the early 1850s until a switch to lard oil took place in the mid 1850s. Kerosene started replacing lard oil in the 1870s. Electricity started to replace kerosene around the turn of the century. The Wicks were kept in a container to keep them dry for use. Inside the lighthouse was a oil room, a lantern room. The keeper's dwelling, the stairs leading up the long climb to the lens room.

The US Lighthouse Establishment ownership plate was soldered onto item in the lighthouse even if it was purchased from an outside vendor.  These containers were one of the few items that the lighthouse service purchased from outside vendors as they made most everything they needed to use in the lighthouses.

A lighthouse without a harbor? Barcelona which it is called today is where a tower rises above the marking of the Portland Harbor.   The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1859 after the Lighthouse Board discovered that there was no harbor at Barcelona. The lighthouse was sold to a private party in 1872. That family owned it until it was sold again in 1998. This tower stands 40' tall and is a private residence. The lighthouse is clearly visible from Route 5 and the boat launch right next to it.
Joshua Lane was the first keeper who served from 1829 until 1855.  The second keeper was Thomas Taylor. He served from 1855 to 1859. Both keepers had the annual salary of $350 per year.

One of America's most important lighthouses is located upon the perch of a cliff along the California coast. The Pigeon Point Lighthouse is located   50 miles south of San Francisco, the 115-foot Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest lighthouses in America, has been guiding mariners since 1872. Its five-wick lard oil lamp, and first-order Fresnel lens, comprised of 1,008 prisms, was first lit at sunset, November 15, 1872. The lens stands 16 feet tall, 6 feet in diameter, and weighs 8,000 pounds. It sits in a lantern room that had been constructed at the Lighthouse Service's general depot in New York before being shipped around the Horn. Although the original Fresnel lens is no longer in use, the lighthouse is still an active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation using a 24 inch Aero Beacon.  

 Research from National Park Service Public Domain and other resources listed below and on following list. Living at a Lighthouse: Oral Histories From the Great Lakes. Allen Park, MI: Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association, 1987.. Allen Park, MI: Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association, 1987.. Allen Park, MI: Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association, 1987.The Lighthouse Encyclopedia, The Definitive Reference, Ray Jones, 2003 Wheeler, Wayne.  "Augustin Fresnel and His Magic Lantern." The Keeper's Log (Winter 1985), pp. 8-11. "The Fresnel Lens." The Keeper's Log (Winter 1985), pp. 12-14. "The Keeper Wore Skirts [Ida Lewis]." The Keeper's Log (Fall 1984), pp. 6-9. "The Keepers of Cape Flattery."  The Keeper's Log (Summer 2001), p. 9. "The Keeper's Pay." The Keeper's Log (Fall 2003), pp. 26-30. "Mount Desert Rock."  The Keeper's Log (Spring 2001), pp. 2-9. Click here to read full resource list used.