Restoration Project

images of tower corner, staging and measuring high astronomical tide, lighthouse with boys

Major restoration of the light station is needed requiring funding from grants, donations, and the town.

Exterior
The exterior of the tower has been painted.
Two companies have completed a structural analysis of the building and tower and will be submitting reports.
Committee members removed the vines and shrubbery covering the oil house.
The annex roof has been re-shingled.

Interior
Encapsulating and painting the lead paint areas on the first floor of the Sailors' Museum has been completed. It is hoped that funding will be obtained by the fall so that the painters can return to paint the second floor. The walls of the entry room and one wall of the adjoining room have been painted by members of the committee.

A CAP Assessment (Collections Assessment for Preservation Program) completed in early April evaluated both the building and the collection of artifacts.


Lighthouse Restoration Presentation, January 21, 2023


Restoration Project Progress - October 2023

Thanks to an anonymous donor, restoration work continues at the Grindle Point Light Station with the replacement and repair of the Keeper’s House and Sailors’ Museum foundation, which has been holding up the building since 1874! Previously there has been lead paint encapsulation within the building.

The images below show the crew of James Nelson’s Brothers In Arms Masonry working on the foundation as Ken Smith, GPLSRC Chair, looks on.

collage images of Ken viewing masonary work and the masonary work

The restoration work continues with the laying of bricks on the foundation.

image of masonary work

Many thanks to the crew of James Nelson’s Brothers In Arms Masonry for doing a great job working on the foundation. The image on the left shows Devin’s hand as he continues to work from underneath the Museum. He is giving us the "thumbs up" because he will be able to get out through an open window when he is finished! The image in the center shows the window that Devin used to “escape” from after working on the foundation. The image on the right shows Devin back at work after escaping from under the museum. He is working on installing the last of the blocks so James can finish the brick work by week’s end.

image of Devin's hand through foundatin

Terry Sanderson on the beat at the GPLS restoration site reports: “The last row is the hardest he told me because he has to fit in the soldier course, where the bricks have the ends facing out as opposed to the sides. Each piece has to be individually cut before he adds the mortar. He is also standing in water even though he pumps it out every day.” The image below shows James Nelson of Brothers in Arms, working on the Keeper’s House & Sailors’ Museum foundation

Ta-Dah! The bricks are all in place and the new foundation awaits the backfill. Now, after many years, the Keeper’s House & Sailors’ Museum is finally on firm footing!

image of backfill

November 1, 2023 Update - Fini! Finished! Complete!

Backfill in place for the foundation of the Keeper's House and Sailors' Museum.
More needs to be done--please help by donating to this cause.

image of finished Project