Blog

  • October 29, 2022Recognition
    President Abraham Lincoln once said, “Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” When I started…
  • October 10, 2022Hitchhiking in October
    As the summer winds down, kids go back to school and the leaves begin to change color, it’s time to close the lighthouse for the winter. …
  • September 15, 2022Designing The Lighthouse
    When I purchased Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse from the federal government in 2011, I knew the nearly 100-year-old sorely neglected…
  • July 18, 2022The Break Wall
    Access to the lighthouse has always been a challenge. Direct water access is only available on the east side next to Fairport Harbor via…
  • July 7, 2022The Case of the Missing Dock
    When the engineers designed Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse and the platform where it sits, they designed only one access point to the…
  • June 11, 202297th Birthday Celebration
    Each year, we celebrate the day, June 9, 1925, that the beacon was first lit at Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse. It’s the lighthouse’s…
  • September 1, 2021Burhani Windows
    I first met John Burhani in November 2011 shortly after I purchased Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse from a government auction. He had…
  • June 12, 2021The Pandemic Pause
    News of an unusual virus coming out of China began circulating in December 2019. The highly contagious strain of coronavirus, named…
  • October 17, 2020The Elusive Utilities
    When I first purchased the lighthouse, I knew it needed a lot of repair and restoration. I also knew that whatever utilities (running…
  • September 2, 2020Divine Intervention
    We all know that God works in mysterious ways. One night recently, as I was walking back to the lighthouse from the parking lot carrying…
  • August 17, 2019The International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend
    Each year, the national association for Amateur Radio (ARRL) also known as “ham radio” operators, conducts the International Lighthouse…
  • June 25, 2019Life Savers
    Lighthouses and their keepers have often been known for saving ships and lives from the dangers of Mother Nature. History has documented…
  • August 26, 2018Chris and Friends
    One of the great things about owning a lighthouse is that you have a lot of visitors. Most are strangers who contact me for a tour or…
  • July 7, 2017The Wine Cellar
    Like most old buildings, the lighthouse has its share of unexplained nooks and crannies. The large area in the eves under the roof…
  • September 25, 2016Sunset Point
    When I purchased the lighthouse in 2011, there was very little left inside. There was no furniture, plumbing, sinks, toilets, doors,…
  • August 28, 2016Roar Off the Shore
    In sharp contrast to the quiet, majestic Tall Ships that sailed into Fairport Harbor in early July 2016, later that month Cleveland…
  • August 5, 2016Historic Places Plaque Presentation
    In 1991, the U.S. Coast Guard submitted the paperwork for Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse to be listed on the National Register of…
  • July 7, 2016Tall Ships 2016
    Each year, the Tall Ships America organization, which focuses on youth education, leadership development and the preservation of the…
  • May 15, 2016Painting the Lighthouse
    Whether you’re renovating just one room or an entire building, the cost of renovation can be particularly high when you’re dealing with a…
  • December 15, 2015Split Queen
    While the lighthouse restoration has been focused primarily on repairing the structure, thoroughly painting inside and out, patching…