Author Archives: Dablad1
Telluride
Telluride Colorado is the best ski town with the best skiing and the best self-guided “then and now” tour anywhere. It has so many well preserved sites that it will take three months to tell the whole story. Not surprisingly, the core district was designated a National Historical Landmark in 1964. It also boasts the … Continue reading
Cape Disappointment Lighthouse
Located on the Washington side of the Columbia River where it meets the Pacific Ocean, Cape Disappointment Lighthouse stands 53 feet tall and is the first lighthouse built in the Pacific Northwest (1856). It is a fixed light so no rewinding is necessary, but the keepers still had to haul 170 pounds of oil up … Continue reading
Tillamook Rock Lighthouse
Located 20 miles south of the mouth of the Columbia River and 1 1/2 miles offshore lies Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. It was built in 1881 and, at that time, was the most expensive lighthouse ever built – $3,000,000 in today’s dollars. Construction began by blasting off 4600 cubic yards of rock in order to make … Continue reading
St George Reef Lighthouse
St George Reef Lighthouse is located six miles off the California/Oregon coast, 144 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Construction began in 1882 but was not completed until 1892 . The cost was the staggering sum of 19.8 million in today’s dollars – twice the cost of any lighthouse ever built! Each of the 1,339 stones … Continue reading
Pt Loma Lighthouse
Pt Loma Lighthouse is located at the mouth of San Diego Bay. In contrast to the previous two entries, Pt Loma was built and opened in the same year (1855) and cost only thirty thousand in today’s dollars. It sits atop a 400-foot cliff and was the highest lighthouse in the country. That also was … Continue reading
Gay Head Lighthouse
Gay Head Lighthouse was built on Martha’s Vineyard in 1856. It had to be moved in May 2015 over a three-day period over a distance of 130 feet and at a cost of $3.5 million. The lighthouse reopened in August 2015 and is seen here in an 1880’s photo. Click to enlarge.
Block Island Lighthouse
Block Island Lighthouse is located about 12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island. It was built in 1875 and stands 200 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, making it the highest lighthouse in New England. Originally it was 300 feet from the cliff’s edge but erosion brought it to within 55 feet. It took 10 … Continue reading
New London Lighthouse
New London Lighthouse is unique for several reasons. It is the oldest in Connecticut (1801) and tallest (89 feet). In addition, in 2013 it was one of five lighthouses in the country chosen to be on a Forever stamp. It is seen here in a photo dated 1905.
Stepping Stones Lighthouse
Stepping Stones Lighthouse in Long Island Sound NY was built in 1877 on top of 900 tons of stones that were barged in. It is only 49 feet high and has a twin brother–the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse-on the Hudson River. A move to collect $4 million to save the structure is underway. The first photo dates … Continue reading
New Glarus, WI.
New Glarus is located in south central Wisconsin about 20 miles south of Madison. It was founded in 1845 by Swiss immigrants and still has a significant Swiss appearance. In 1993, New Glarus Brewing Co. was started–the first brewery ever by a woman. New Glarus is the perfect place for then-and-now pictures owing to its … Continue reading