The well-known Carly Simon song, “Anticipation” keeps running through my head. Those lyrics “Anticipation, anticipation, is making me late; is keeping me waiting…” ring very true this time of the year as Spring arrives, the weather is finally cooperating, and flowers are blooming. Plants and animals alike seem to be waking up from the long winter anticipating a bright future and ready for life to begin anew.
So, too, is life about to begin again at Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse as the front door is unlocked and the windows are thrown open to the fresh air. But it’s not just Spring at the lighthouse, it’s also time to start renovations again. This year’s focus will be primarily on securing and installing an appropriate water treatment system so that lake water can be used for showers, laundry, cooking and cleaning. A new electrical panel and some rewiring is also on the agenda, along with a lot of painting.
Because the lighthouse was only minimally maintained by the US Coast Guard over the last few decades, the walls and most of the interior areas needed repairing and painting. And, while I haven’t kept an exact tally of the gallons of paint used to date, it’s definitely at the 30 gallon mark and climbing – just for the inside. The outside may get a new coat of paint this year, but that depends on a number of factors such as funding and weather. Otherwise, there are hardwood floors to refinish on the 2nd floor, more furniture to get in place, and all the little touches that make a house a home.
Of course, part of the fun of owning such an incredible piece of history is the opportunity to share it with others – particularly those in the nearby communities who have admired it from afar but never been inside. For the third year in a row, the lighthouse will celebrate its birthday (June 9, 1925) with an Open House. Last year, dozens of people lined the break wall in Headlands Beach State Park patiently waiting their turn for a glimpse inside. Like Spring, the anticipation was palpable.
I try to welcome people in whenever I’m there, as well as provide private arranged tours. Last year, I enjoyed hosting Girls Scouts, members of the Coast Guard working at Coast Guard Station Fairport, officers from the Ohio State Department of Natural Resources and many other people who wandered by while spending the day at Headlands Beach. But don’t be surprised if an invitation to see the inside comes in exchange for some manual labor! As the saying goes, many hands make light work, and fortunately, most visitors gladly pitched in by painting, cleaning, or just carrying trash back to the dumpster for a look inside. Every little bit counts!
So as the weather continues to improve and I spend more time at the lighthouse, I look forward to meeting many of you throughout the summer and anticipate another productive year of renovations.
