Episode 47 - Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse

100:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,940Hello everyone, I'm Emily and I'm Vince and this is the lighthouse lowdown200:00:13,640 --> 00:00:19,500So it's testing you there the rumor has it there's no history boots. Oh my gosh300:00:20,400 --> 00:00:26,740Just before we started I realized I had a space for the history buoy and didn't complete it400:00:26,740 --> 00:00:30,000so you actually on record saying that we're already three minutes in and500:00:30,800 --> 00:00:32,800what600:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,260And that's the second time this year and it's700:00:37,160 --> 00:00:39,560halfway through February as we record this so800:00:40,160 --> 00:00:44,440Pretty bad. It's a shame. I maybe once know I was gonna say maybe once per month900:00:44,440 --> 00:00:48,020I'm allowed but that's far too much for how often we record so1000:00:51,320 --> 00:00:53,820That's the only time you've ever let that sound go to completion1100:00:53,820 --> 00:00:55,820But I have a cold so1200:00:56,820 --> 00:01:00,020Blame it on that got some brain fog going on. Oh1300:01:00,540 --> 00:01:03,380Oh couldn't possibly remember the history buoy1400:01:05,100 --> 00:01:09,260So we'll just jump straight into our lighthouse today and that's because I1500:01:09,980 --> 00:01:15,620Did not do my due diligence apologies to everyone out there. I know how much everyone counts on me1600:01:17,580 --> 00:01:22,460But I also said last I was going to cover the membership levels for the US le just and I am1700:01:22,460 --> 00:01:28,180Going to do that. It's just seems to be getting further and further away from this moment1800:01:28,180 --> 00:01:30,700It'll happen. Yeah, so our lighthouse today1900:01:30,700 --> 00:01:35,820We talked about a little bit of this a couple times and in our very last episode2000:01:35,820 --> 00:01:38,820We talked about Bartholomew Gus knows2100:01:39,380 --> 00:01:41,380the guy who2200:01:41,380 --> 00:01:43,380Bart Bart Bart for short2300:01:44,060 --> 00:01:46,620Bad Bart, right? Yeah. Yeah2400:01:47,260 --> 00:01:51,180Unfortunate part. He I don't think he knew the repercussions of his actions and he's2500:01:51,180 --> 00:01:55,100Reprocussions of his actions and I looked it up a little bit more. He wasn't the only one2600:01:55,100 --> 00:02:01,980It was also like all the people is everybody everyone part took then. What are we picking on Bart for Bart?2700:02:03,420 --> 00:02:09,220You mean from the last episode or right now, right? Well last episode well because he soured Native American2800:02:09,740 --> 00:02:14,060That's right ruined it sold it but we're not looking at all that2900:02:14,060 --> 00:02:20,300We're looking at just Cape Cod today and Martha's Vineyard in particular. Oh cool. It's and I once again3000:02:20,300 --> 00:02:25,940I've decided we're going to Cape Cod and we're gonna spend a day in Martha's Vineyard. And so I'm gonna do a little3100:02:26,840 --> 00:02:34,260spotlight on a couple of those lighthouses coming up and one of them is today for those who don't know would you tell me or3200:02:34,420 --> 00:02:38,980You already told me but tell them why is it named Martha's Vineyard? I thought that was cool Bartholomew3300:02:39,620 --> 00:02:44,180Sailed by he never he didn't stop there, but he assumed that it was uninhabited3400:02:44,180 --> 00:02:51,940It's a lots of wild grapes and on top of that his deceased daughter's name was Martha named after his wife's mom3500:02:51,940 --> 00:02:55,180And so he named the place Martha's Vineyard very sweet3600:02:55,460 --> 00:03:00,580There's that I'm gonna pull up a map because I'm gonna talk about it's a map Edgar town3700:03:01,020 --> 00:03:03,020Hopefully that's how you pronounce it. I assumed3800:03:03,420 --> 00:03:05,420Eggerton that's how no3900:03:06,260 --> 00:03:12,980Gosh, I'm gonna be just shocked with myself in particular if it actually ends up being something other than Edgar town4000:03:12,980 --> 00:03:15,980Gosh now you have me wondering we discovered it's4100:03:16,700 --> 00:03:19,980Chatham and Eastham Chatham and East oh4200:03:20,500 --> 00:03:26,380Chatham and Eastham see I've ruined it. I've ruined it. I'm sorry. It's okay. So Martha's Vineyard, Edgar town4300:03:26,900 --> 00:03:28,740Yes, so we're gonna be focusing in on there4400:03:28,740 --> 00:03:32,700I just decided to pull up a map because last time you asked me for a map and I didn't pull one up4500:03:32,700 --> 00:03:36,740Mappy maps? So Martha's Vineyard is a island off the4600:03:37,300 --> 00:03:38,820Southern part of Cape Cod4700:03:38,820 --> 00:03:44,340It's just under 87 and a half square miles with a population of 20,000 and that swells to over4800:03:44,660 --> 00:03:51,380200,000 in the summer so permanent residents or like and tourists but Martha's Vineyard is really4900:03:51,380 --> 00:03:56,300It's a summer. It's a summer. It's an affluent summer live-in island5000:03:57,140 --> 00:04:00,180So Martha's Vineyard also includes the adjacent5100:04:01,620 --> 00:04:02,820Chapa5200:04:02,820 --> 00:04:10,620Chapa Chapaquidic Island so that that's I felt something coming that I hadn't checked the pronunciation of but5300:04:11,460 --> 00:04:14,380It's pretty big chunk over here Chapaquidic5400:04:15,100 --> 00:04:18,940How you get to huh? Yeah, I agree. Okay Chapaquidic5500:04:19,580 --> 00:04:22,860You get there through Edgar town, but you still have to take a ferry5600:04:22,860 --> 00:04:28,660It just runs constantly 24 7 so nice maybe not 24 7 at least all day5700:04:28,660 --> 00:04:35,940It runs. Yep, can't swim it. So technically they're separated islands, but it's in when people talk about Martha's Vineyard5800:04:35,940 --> 00:04:40,740It's included. It's so close. The first settlement on this island was Edgar town5900:04:40,740 --> 00:04:43,540Which is why we're talking about it first called Great Harbor in6000:04:44,380 --> 00:04:46,3801642 when the settlement was founded by6100:04:47,340 --> 00:04:52,820Thomas Mayhew who was the son of Thomas Mayhew who had a son named Thomas Mayhew6200:04:52,820 --> 00:04:54,820Oh6300:04:56,540 --> 00:04:57,820Gosh6400:04:57,820 --> 00:05:03,420But Thomas Mayhew the first had excellent relations with the existing Native Americans on this island6500:05:03,660 --> 00:05:08,080And I think he went back and forth and kind of had built up trust in a relationship with them6600:05:08,080 --> 00:05:13,460So his son Thomas Mayhew the second was the one who started the settlement and continued these6700:05:13,940 --> 00:05:16,940this excellent relationship with the Native Americans there and6800:05:18,260 --> 00:05:22,700They were so friendly in fact that when their people6900:05:22,700 --> 00:05:25,540Started the King Phillips war later on in the century7000:05:25,820 --> 00:05:32,040They decided not to partake with their people on the mainland in this war against the English colonies7100:05:32,580 --> 00:05:39,020The King Phillips award King Phillips King Phillips war. Okay, was that the Declaration of Independence? I7200:05:40,300 --> 00:05:42,300Don't know history7300:05:46,460 --> 00:05:49,700I didn't know it either actually King Phillips is referring to a7400:05:49,700 --> 00:05:54,700Native American chief who took the name Philip. So I'm pretty sure7500:05:57,220 --> 00:06:02,560King Philippe King Phillips. Yes, I don't know what I don't know history7600:06:02,780 --> 00:06:06,900Sometimes called first Indian War Peta McCombs rebellion7700:06:06,900 --> 00:06:12,300I feel like that was how they referred to it in my history class when I was a child. Okay7800:06:13,100 --> 00:06:14,860armed conflict7900:06:14,860 --> 00:06:16,460in8000:06:16,460 --> 00:06:22,0601975 between a group of indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands and the English New England colonies8100:06:22,500 --> 00:06:24,500War is named for Metacomet8200:06:26,180 --> 00:06:33,180It's a hundred adopted the English name Philip because of the friendly relations between his father and the Plymouth colony8300:06:33,660 --> 00:06:36,500Okay, so hundred years before the Declaration of Independence8400:06:36,980 --> 00:06:41,740Okay, kind of interesting not a hundred years. He said 1670s, right? Yeah8500:06:41,740 --> 00:06:46,140Yeah, 1776. Oh, you8600:06:46,780 --> 00:06:53,420Know why I got you know, I got thrown off. I was thinking 1716, which is when the Boston light went into service8700:06:55,060 --> 00:06:58,420That's what really matters to me so8800:07:00,220 --> 00:07:05,740War King Philip King Phillips war. Yeah, so that was started by this8900:07:05,740 --> 00:07:11,820Tribe of Native Americans. I don't know what it's called when it's like the certain like Cherokee9000:07:12,420 --> 00:07:18,220But there were separate groups of Cherokee people. Yeah, so I don't know what you call it the umbrella9100:07:18,380 --> 00:07:22,940Someone would know but I don't anyway just all of that is to say that9200:07:23,860 --> 00:07:28,020English and Native American on Martha's Vineyard were very kumbaya and9300:07:29,100 --> 00:07:33,300We're not each other's throats. Nice. Yeah, that's nice. I don't know when that ended9400:07:33,300 --> 00:07:35,820Maybe it never did I don't have to go that far. I don't know9500:07:35,820 --> 00:07:40,700I wonder if there's still a native presence or if that's so there is yeah, they actually this9600:07:41,860 --> 00:07:46,060Gosh, what is it? Like what do I refer? I that's why I like9700:07:48,260 --> 00:07:50,700Section of native like there's a name for it9800:07:50,700 --> 00:07:57,100Anyway, these Native Americans still are recognized on in this area of America. Okay still being9900:07:57,100 --> 00:08:03,340I said didn't rename the island from Chepa Chepa aquatic. Yeah, I'm sorry everyone10000:08:04,060 --> 00:08:09,980It's part of who we are not being able to pronounce anything and winging it last second10100:08:10,700 --> 00:08:16,580Anyway, so the island today has five lighthouses and the first was actually not in Edgar town10200:08:16,580 --> 00:08:18,820Which I think is interesting since it was the first settlement10300:08:19,820 --> 00:08:23,900But that's not the one I'm covering today. I'm covering the one in Edgar town. Okay. Okay10400:08:23,900 --> 00:08:27,620I'll cover the other one later the the other ones gay head lighthouse10500:08:27,620 --> 00:08:35,180it was the first one and they named it that because the clay cliff that they saw was colorful and10600:08:35,660 --> 00:08:41,620So the cheerful so they named it gay headlight in the head because lots of places are the head of10700:08:43,020 --> 00:08:45,020land mass10800:08:46,860 --> 00:08:50,860I'm holding up my arms and pointing different directions as if these are peninsulas10900:08:50,860 --> 00:08:52,860I'm looking at the peninsula11000:08:54,260 --> 00:08:57,900But they're the first order lens for that lighthouse is in the Martha's Vineyard11100:08:58,380 --> 00:09:03,620Museum that we're gonna go to so we get to see a first order lens. Nice and that's the og is gay head. Yes11200:09:04,460 --> 00:09:09,020So and and there's a stamp for the lens itself. Oh cool11300:09:09,020 --> 00:09:12,820No, did we see a picture of this and we're doing our research? I think so11400:09:12,820 --> 00:09:16,660I bet yeah, so we've done some you guys may or may not have heard at this point11500:09:16,700 --> 00:09:19,260We're doing some research on traveling to Cape God11600:09:19,260 --> 00:09:23,380We are going to go this summer. It's gonna be a great time. We're gonna see lighthouses11700:09:23,380 --> 00:09:28,420We're gonna have the food that the locals tell us are good. At least that the internet tells us is good11800:09:28,420 --> 00:09:32,580Yeah, you guys tell us what's good. Let me know if there's a golf course that can hit up as well11900:09:32,580 --> 00:09:37,660Oh, no, there's so many it needs to be public. He needs to be able to rent clubs and12000:09:39,460 --> 00:09:45,100It's any anywhere in Cape Cod, I looked at Martha's Vineyard, I don't think that's the one there's only one for12100:09:45,100 --> 00:09:49,060On Martha's Vineyard, oh one's public. Okay, but either way12200:09:49,060 --> 00:09:52,940I would like to hear that at the lighthouse lowdown at gmail.com12300:09:53,060 --> 00:09:59,280Yes, please send us recommendations actually send us recommendations for literally anything because we are pretty busy12400:09:59,280 --> 00:10:05,820Like we're packing this trip full of stuff to do but we can make like everything's flexible12500:10:07,140 --> 00:10:09,660On a trip so yeah, just red ball it out12600:10:10,660 --> 00:10:13,140No, I can't I can't rally12700:10:13,140 --> 00:10:16,020I had your town tell us about it. Okay12800:10:16,700 --> 00:10:20,060So Edgar Towne Harbor was a hub of whaling12900:10:20,860 --> 00:10:24,140Oh, hence the need for a lighthouse and also kind of why13000:10:24,780 --> 00:10:31,100Like kind of points to where the the affluent part of this island came from is that like some of the money for a while?13100:10:31,100 --> 00:10:38,140Yeah, that's right. Like a solid. What was it? I think a solid quarter of all whaling ships left this harbor13200:10:38,140 --> 00:10:39,140Wow13300:10:39,140 --> 00:10:44,180It was a it was a hub up. So in 1828 Congress approved13400:10:44,740 --> 00:10:50,900$5,500 for a lighthouse at the end of a pier in the harbor. Oh the quality of this photo is not very good13500:10:52,660 --> 00:10:54,660Look at this photo13600:10:56,180 --> 00:10:58,180Well our13700:10:58,300 --> 00:11:03,94065 inch screen it's a little blurred out. Yeah, that's that was a failure on my part. But anyway, this is a picture of13800:11:04,740 --> 00:11:06,100Moby Dick13900:11:06,100 --> 00:11:13,140Moby Dick the whaling yes story. Oh, yeah was based out of Nantucket. Oh, no way14000:11:13,140 --> 00:11:20,100Okay, so that's the island that's next. I was wondering if twenty five percent of whaling ships left from yeah, Edgar Towne14100:11:20,100 --> 00:11:25,540Wow, that's interesting and tuck it is the I'd have to read more. This is a super super quick Google14200:11:25,540 --> 00:11:31,180Yeah, maybe they lived in Nantucket and the harbor was actually familiar to you. Is that why you decided to look that up?14300:11:31,180 --> 00:11:36,540No, just the only whaling book story. I know is Moby Dick. Wow, what a coincidence14400:11:36,940 --> 00:11:41,740Anyways, I'm sorry to interrupt you you're good in this picture. It's hard to tell but this is the14500:11:44,780 --> 00:11:46,780I got a shirt14600:11:48,140 --> 00:11:51,980This is the first light it's super different from what we see today14700:11:51,980 --> 00:11:58,140And I'll get into the whole story of that but this the original one was a two-story dwelling with a lighthouse tower coming from the center14800:11:58,140 --> 00:12:00,140So it's integral14900:12:00,140 --> 00:12:05,420the pier wasn't built for another year and a half after the light was lit at the end of15000:12:06,060 --> 00:12:11,9001828 and so for a while the keepers had to row back and forth from the beach to15100:12:12,700 --> 00:12:17,820Light so and it was on wooden piles or like wooden ears. Yeah15200:12:18,980 --> 00:12:25,840So so it's pretty shallow where it's at then. Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's not very deep. I guess that makes sense for a lighthouse. Yeah15300:12:25,840 --> 00:12:27,840Oh15400:12:28,640 --> 00:12:30,640That's not true15500:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,000Give one example, okay15600:12:34,960 --> 00:12:36,960I don't have an example15700:12:37,280 --> 00:12:42,080I was thinking I thought of standard rock where it's like in the middle of a lake and so i'm like it wasn't shallow15800:12:42,080 --> 00:12:47,920But it was on a reef that was like dangerously shallow. Yeah, so I just I thought of that one as well15900:12:48,960 --> 00:12:50,960So the pier was16000:12:51,020 --> 00:12:52,6401500 feet long16100:12:52,640 --> 00:12:58,880Wow costs $2,500 to build which is crazy because that's like half the cost of the lighthouse a great deal you think16200:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,880I don't know less expensive than that. It's just a wood like a wooden16300:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,280Walkway. Yeah16400:13:05,280 --> 00:13:07,360But an integral lighthouse is a house16500:13:08,720 --> 00:13:13,840With a light lantern room. Yeah, you know, so I guess I don't know16600:13:13,920 --> 00:13:20,320They're pretty good at building houses. The walkway was called the bridge of size, which I looked up because16700:13:20,320 --> 00:13:26,880People would go to this bridge to watch their family or husbands or whoever leave on their whaling ships16800:13:27,360 --> 00:13:33,200And sometimes the expeditions were like five years long. So it's called the bridge of size. It's very sad. Si ghs16900:13:33,840 --> 00:13:39,120Yeah, first keeper at edgertown harbor lighthouse was jeremiah. Damn it17000:13:40,000 --> 00:13:44,480I didn't look at my damn it. I didn't look up how to pronounce his last name. I think it was a bullfrog17100:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,040um17200:13:47,040 --> 00:13:52,400Okay, I typed it in it says to pronounce it as peas. So i'm just gonna pronounce it as peas17300:13:53,020 --> 00:13:55,020p a s e17400:13:55,200 --> 00:14:00,880Jeremiah served at edgertown for 13 years as the first keeper and then two years later17500:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,560He served for another six years. So he took a little gap17600:14:05,280 --> 00:14:08,000and apparently political party17700:14:08,800 --> 00:14:09,840before17800:14:09,840 --> 00:14:18,480The lighthouse board was created was very important to lighthouse keeper placements. So if there was a change in power then the lighthouse keeper would change17900:14:19,040 --> 00:14:23,120Interesting. I don't know if that was true for everywhere, but at least like maybe in these early lighthouses18000:14:24,560 --> 00:14:31,440Yeah, so when the wig party was in power peas was replaced with sylvanus crocker both times18100:14:31,760 --> 00:14:33,760crocker the big wig18200:14:33,760 --> 00:14:39,040peas was a democrat and wig was like a more conservative party that died out but18300:14:39,040 --> 00:14:44,080Every time so he served 13 years got kicked out for two by crocker and then18400:14:44,720 --> 00:14:49,760He served another six years wig party went back into power and crocker came back in he was just waiting18500:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,560Yeah, he's just like come on. Come on. I don't have to do with my time18600:14:52,560 --> 00:14:58,800Yeah, and actually another I read another instance. It's not exactly like this, but I read another instance at pimaquid point18700:14:58,800 --> 00:15:00,800I didn't really mention it18800:15:00,800 --> 00:15:04,560Another political party thing that marcus h hanna who18900:15:04,560 --> 00:15:11,920I've heard of before and has his own section in that main lighthouse book that I showed you last time in the last episode19000:15:12,880 --> 00:15:18,480He was really well known for being super brave and courageous like he got like awards19100:15:18,480 --> 00:15:24,800He was in the civil war and he was like known for really putting his life in danger to save other people19200:15:24,800 --> 00:15:30,960So he was awesome, but he was allegedly a stanker to work with he was like19300:15:31,760 --> 00:15:33,760grumpy like he was19400:15:33,760 --> 00:15:37,600He like he he when when you needed him he would save your life19500:15:37,840 --> 00:15:45,360But any other time people are just like oh this guy. Yeah, so anyway, um, he wanted to be placed at a better light station19600:15:46,240 --> 00:15:53,680Than pimaquid point so he allegedly used his status as a republican with president grant to move him to two lights19700:15:54,160 --> 00:15:58,000Which is cape elizabeth. I feel like i've heard of two lights to be covered19800:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,080No, we haven't yet. Okay19900:16:00,080 --> 00:16:06,240But i've heard of it. Yeah, which effectively boots out the current head keeper who wrote in the log book quote20000:16:06,480 --> 00:16:12,800Mr. Hanna from pimaquid light station will take my place but not with my consent. I am no longer a republican20100:16:13,360 --> 00:16:14,960Oh my gosh20200:16:14,960 --> 00:16:16,960I'm like, oh shit20300:16:17,520 --> 00:16:23,360So anyway political stuff came up often in keepers positions. Yeah, I did not know that20400:16:23,680 --> 00:16:28,800I'm sure there's a lot of other instances but instances you're doing great. Take a sip of coffee20500:16:28,800 --> 00:16:34,420Coffee today was provided by emily. Yeah, it's fantastic and uh captain cecil's atlantic20600:16:35,440 --> 00:16:36,560Really?20700:16:36,560 --> 00:16:40,640Wow run through the espresso machine. I did it was maybe not the smartest thing to do but20800:16:41,200 --> 00:16:43,680I don't know. I really enjoy it. Yeah, I know it's a20900:16:44,720 --> 00:16:48,720It's not pure coffee at this point, but it's good. What do you mean? Oh, well, it's got honey21000:16:50,240 --> 00:16:54,640I'm a child. So I like that stuff. I went a little heavy on the sugar, but I think it's still21100:16:54,640 --> 00:16:59,600A plus. Honey is basically liquid sugar as well. I know21200:17:00,640 --> 00:17:02,640Anyway, that was just something i'd mentioned21300:17:03,200 --> 00:17:04,560184021400:17:04,560 --> 00:17:09,360The wooden beams holding up the lighthouse were really starting to rot away21500:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,000And I mean that's over a decade21600:17:12,000 --> 00:17:18,320So that's pretty good for just wooden beams just sitting in the water. Yeah, they were replaced with a stone pier21700:17:19,120 --> 00:17:23,120Let me pull a picture. You can see it at the bottom here. Pretty nice21800:17:23,120 --> 00:17:25,120Pretty nice21900:17:27,440 --> 00:17:32,000Why is there a crack in the house where in the middle right there under the window22000:17:33,120 --> 00:17:34,880Oh this yeah22100:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,500Um, probably some damage. There was lots of complaints22200:17:39,040 --> 00:17:44,980That the room the house was leaking stuff because looking at it. You can actually tell it's not weatherproof22300:17:45,520 --> 00:17:50,080Like this is not this is aggressive. Yeah, this is just a house on salt water22400:17:50,080 --> 00:17:56,560Just a house with no buffers or anything just on the water recently. What was the storm?22500:17:57,280 --> 00:18:02,800Earth january we talked about the storm that affected. Oh, yeah east coast 10th and 13th. Yeah, but uh22600:18:03,360 --> 00:18:07,200In some of those photos we talked about like sea walls that were built. Yes and22700:18:08,160 --> 00:18:12,320Foundations like tall foundations. This house doesn't have this house would have been22800:18:12,940 --> 00:18:16,640Decimated by a storm like that. Is that a poop pipe you think right there? I think so22900:18:16,640 --> 00:18:20,160I think this might just be straight up open to the oh23000:18:20,880 --> 00:18:25,280Let's go. I mean it's away from the town. You can see the town over there. Yeah, so there's some distance23100:18:25,360 --> 00:18:28,240It would be broken up if you're dropping donations23200:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,320Keeping the fish happy23300:18:32,320 --> 00:18:37,440Gross, I know i'm the worst the fog bell is also on that side of the house. That's kind of neat. Yeah. Yeah23400:18:38,400 --> 00:18:43,780I was gonna I see a picture and I point it's a good eye because I I didn't really have anything to say about that in particular23500:18:44,560 --> 00:18:45,760um23600:18:45,760 --> 00:18:48,800But I thought it was cool that it was just on the side of the house like that23700:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,600I wonder how they actuated it. I don't know. I'm sure it was23800:18:52,240 --> 00:18:58,080Through the top or maybe there's a hole in the side. I don't know. This actually is an add-on to the house23900:18:58,080 --> 00:19:02,800So it's not like see a nice lightning rod running down water is a conductor24000:19:03,520 --> 00:19:07,680So does the lightning rod run down into the water? You might as well24100:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,880Right, is that stupid? I don't know water is also24200:19:12,880 --> 00:19:16,880Uh salt water particularly highly corrosive, which is why those24300:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,320Probably why those wood piers did not last very long24400:19:20,880 --> 00:19:22,240so your24500:19:22,240 --> 00:19:25,360Metal wire i'm just interested. I like to look it up24600:19:25,520 --> 00:19:30,080Anyway, because I covered lightning rods previously but not on water. Yeah. Oh true24700:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,920Makes a big difference. Sorry caffeine got me. You're good24800:19:34,640 --> 00:19:35,840um24900:19:35,840 --> 00:19:41,840My next point was that the official keeper's dwelling was not well suited for being on the water, which is what I see here25000:19:41,840 --> 00:19:48,160So there was a quick turn over on keeper's and most preferred to stay somewhere on the shore rather than the light itself25100:19:48,640 --> 00:19:54,160And I don't know if that had to come out of their own pocket or if that was I doubt that was supplied25200:19:54,720 --> 00:19:56,720By the lighthouse board. Yeah25300:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,640Additionally the wooden pier did nothing to protect the harbor from shifting sands25400:20:01,280 --> 00:20:06,480And that's something i'll mention later like a sand movement is like a big deal on this area25500:20:07,040 --> 00:20:08,320so25600:20:08,320 --> 00:20:12,720The keeper sylvanus argued to build a breakwater instead of just having this walkway25700:20:13,280 --> 00:20:21,280So in 1847 for four thousand seven hundred dollars a stone breakwater topped with a wooden walkway was built to help preserve the harbor25800:20:21,760 --> 00:20:27,760And eventually they made like other improvements to the keeper's cottage including adding a fourth order for now lens25900:20:28,000 --> 00:20:31,520So that's nice. And then they added an oil house this fog bell26000:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,680Area that you pointed out. Yeah storage shed, etc26100:20:35,680 --> 00:20:44,000Nice some riprap making it up. Yeah, they added some they oomphed it. What was that called again? Nathan told us? Oh, um26200:20:44,700 --> 00:20:45,920revetment26300:20:45,920 --> 00:20:47,920Yeah revetment revetment stone26400:20:48,560 --> 00:20:54,080Cool after that there wasn't a lot of notes about it except for that. It was a quote-unquote tolerable place to live26500:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,480nice that is until it took significant damage from26600:20:58,480 --> 00:21:05,280Um a hurricane in 1938 which was just referred to as the great hurricane. It was category five26700:21:06,620 --> 00:21:12,640306 million dollars in damage, which is six point five billion dollars today26800:21:13,280 --> 00:21:17,920And uh killed 800 people injured like 1700 people. So26900:21:18,720 --> 00:21:19,760It was a big one27000:21:19,760 --> 00:21:20,640dang27100:21:20,640 --> 00:21:22,320it was a bad one, so27200:21:22,320 --> 00:21:26,240The year after that the coast guard took over all the lighthouses27300:21:26,240 --> 00:21:31,200And immediately destroyed this one because it would have been so costly to upkeep27400:21:31,840 --> 00:21:37,600And they weren't going to have keepers there anymore or anything. So they were planning on building a skeleton tower27500:21:38,160 --> 00:21:42,240Instead like in its place in the 30s. Oh 40s. It took over. Yeah27600:21:43,040 --> 00:21:46,880so they were going to build a skeleton tower with a the beacon on top but27700:21:47,840 --> 00:21:52,240The town hated that idea and so instead they took the 188127800:21:52,240 --> 00:21:56,340rear range light from cranes beach, massachusetts27900:21:57,200 --> 00:22:04,160Uh dismantled it and brought it over instead which is the tower that we have today and it looks like it's just every other28000:22:04,800 --> 00:22:11,280Cape cod lighthouse out there. Yep. It looks nice. I like this photo. Yeah, this is where it was located originally28100:22:11,360 --> 00:22:15,040So this is a picture of it when it was still a background picture. Yeah28200:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,000It is really nice very sharp28300:22:18,000 --> 00:22:22,960Old photo. I don't know what that's called. What's the railing style? Is that gothic?28400:22:23,840 --> 00:22:25,280I don't know28500:22:25,280 --> 00:22:30,880Old english the way that it's like slopes and then points down again is very gothic28600:22:31,520 --> 00:22:37,600So I don't know the architecture words, but that's cool. We should look at the little portal windows. Yeah, big fan of those pretty cute28700:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,280So anyway, that was moved over to the end of the breakwater28800:22:41,520 --> 00:22:46,560it's 45 feet cast iron all white except for a black lantern room and28900:22:46,560 --> 00:22:49,760And has a fixed red light. Nice. We like that29000:22:49,920 --> 00:22:54,400Well had a fixed red light when I was first moved over to Martha's Vineyard29100:22:55,520 --> 00:22:57,520So it was originally at the end of the breakwater29200:22:57,760 --> 00:22:59,280Which it doesn't look that way today29300:22:59,280 --> 00:23:04,080And so I was like what happened that they put it at the end of the breakwater and then move it back in but29400:23:04,240 --> 00:23:06,080What happened was?29500:23:06,080 --> 00:23:09,760It said to sand eventually over time filled in the space29600:23:10,320 --> 00:23:14,560Around the lighthouse and now it's like has it its own beach its own beach. That's cool29700:23:14,560 --> 00:23:19,360But what actually happened was there was a series of hurricanes. I can't remember29800:23:20,160 --> 00:23:27,540What year but a series of hurricanes destroyed sand from the eel pond barrier beach, which was northwest of edgertown29900:23:28,640 --> 00:23:30,080Have a picture30000:23:30,080 --> 00:23:32,720So on the left side, there's a picture of where edward30100:23:33,200 --> 00:23:38,720Oh my gosh edgertown light used to be at the end of the breakwater and up here is this eel pond barrier30200:23:39,680 --> 00:23:40,480like30300:23:40,480 --> 00:23:49,040Which is now called lighthouse beach. There's a bunch of hurricanes which broke up that area and all the sand was like suspended in the water for a long time30400:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,840And then if you look on the right, there's a map of what it looks like today. So that is epic30500:23:54,080 --> 00:24:00,720Isn't that awesome? So all the sand moved down over to edgertown harbor light and surrounded it and now30600:24:01,360 --> 00:24:02,880edgertown harbor30700:24:02,880 --> 00:24:10,560Called lighthouse beach is its own barrier beach for this little son of a steve. So that's yeah, that's awesome30800:24:10,560 --> 00:24:16,960That's why there's no like streets probably on that mass is it's probably not it's probably sand. Yeah unstable30900:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,000So you're telling me that the lighthouse didn't move31000:24:20,720 --> 00:24:24,560Yeah, but the sand moved I was joking around the breakwater earth31100:24:25,360 --> 00:24:29,600You know, he was uh, he had some quote like what would it cost to buy the whole earth?31200:24:29,600 --> 00:24:35,620I just thought it was funny. Sorry. I remind me. So there's a riprap pier. No breakwater breakwater31300:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,160Yeah, I mean it's kind of a uh31400:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,680appear right, yeah, but do you think that31500:24:44,620 --> 00:24:49,120Accumulated the sand and then built up to what we have now this landmass31600:24:49,120 --> 00:24:53,360Well, yeah, it's like the waves so the waves become saturated with sand as the waves31700:24:53,360 --> 00:25:01,200Are hitting something then they release the sand and so that just piles up and piles up wherever the water is breaking on it31800:25:01,600 --> 00:25:08,080So that's really interesting and you can see the breakwater from underneath the sand if you go see the lighthouse31900:25:08,640 --> 00:25:09,840Wow32000:25:09,840 --> 00:25:12,640Like it's it's just rock. So it's underneath32100:25:13,520 --> 00:25:18,000All the all the beach. That's cool. Yeah, i'm really excited to see it32200:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,920I can't wait so you can you can physically walk to it now not walking on the breakwater32300:25:21,920 --> 00:25:28,640Mm-hmm. It's all sand. That's really neat. Yeah, the lighthouse was refurbished by the coast guard in 198532400:25:28,800 --> 00:25:31,200And I think they repainted it. It was looking a little rough32500:25:31,360 --> 00:25:35,200So they gave it a new white coat of paint and did some other stuff to it32600:25:35,840 --> 00:25:41,200And shortly after that, they changed it to a flashing red light every six seconds, which is what we have today. Still dope32700:25:41,360 --> 00:25:43,120Yeah, almost a decade later32800:25:43,120 --> 00:25:48,400The light was leased to Martha's Vineyard Historical Society for 30 years in 200732900:25:48,400 --> 00:25:55,840They received two hundred fifty thousand dollars from the community preservation act for a restoration. So they fixed fixed her right up what year?33000:25:56,620 --> 00:26:02,6402007 nice. I know the economy crashed in oh eight like hardcore, but we've heard a lot of these restorations33100:26:03,440 --> 00:26:07,280Have happened. I would say like 90 through 201033200:26:08,080 --> 00:26:11,300Which is I wonder where that came from a lot of the preservation33300:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,320Yeah, there was a lot of stuff happening33400:26:14,320 --> 00:26:20,720In like the early 2000s, I'm thinking of Florida, California even um northwest ones33500:26:21,360 --> 00:26:25,440Talked about they're all just like a lot of lighthouses were just neglected33600:26:26,480 --> 00:26:30,720Yeah, and maybe people started to notice those things. Yeah33700:26:31,520 --> 00:26:34,800And start fixing them up. Yeah. Well good quarter million. It's not a33800:26:35,360 --> 00:26:40,560Not nothing. Yeah, nothing to sniff at especially on a shorter lighthouse tower. Yeah, what is this one 40 feet?33900:26:40,560 --> 00:26:47,52045 thanks, but the light was transferred to the town of Edgar town in 2014. So now the town owns it34000:26:48,080 --> 00:26:52,960That's upkeep on okay. Yeah, so five dollars to tour so you can go and check it out34100:26:52,960 --> 00:26:56,000I'm pretty sure they said the door is just open all the time and you can34200:26:56,720 --> 00:27:02,960Climb it drop a five in and there's a keeper there that will tell you the history and oh, that's cool34300:27:03,520 --> 00:27:05,760So it's a probably a city34400:27:05,760 --> 00:27:10,480It's city volunteer or city employee probably I was gonna say national parks34500:27:10,640 --> 00:27:14,800But that's not that was true in the outer banks where we went to ochre cove34600:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,840Because that was a national park and cape cod is a national park34700:27:18,320 --> 00:27:24,800I think martha's vineyard might be private. I think so. Yeah, that's probably right that might explain some of the wealth accumulation. Yeah34800:27:26,480 --> 00:27:33,120Because cape cod has national park service like shops where you can get patches and stuff just like we did for cape cod or um34900:27:33,120 --> 00:27:39,360Um cape hatteras and stuff. That is pretty I was waiting for you to make a comment on it really great photo. Um35000:27:40,400 --> 00:27:42,400Looks a little bit of an orange light35100:27:43,280 --> 00:27:45,920So it's just a glare. It's a long exposure photo35200:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,040Which is helps them capture the stars35300:27:49,600 --> 00:27:55,440Um, but they also capture a lot of the light traffic of the city and the harbor right there. It looks like a boat35400:27:56,080 --> 00:27:57,280and then uh35500:27:57,280 --> 00:28:01,620They might have edited somehow to make that light tower orange-ish35600:28:01,620 --> 00:28:04,420really pretty though, how you doing35700:28:06,580 --> 00:28:11,060Good it's good. Sorry you got this drink you made me is uh35800:28:12,180 --> 00:28:15,060Making me talk a lot nice. That's what we like35900:28:15,860 --> 00:28:18,580I want to talk to myself the whole time. Everyone's like, uh36000:28:19,380 --> 00:28:21,380No, the co-host is on36100:28:21,780 --> 00:28:24,020The co-host is feeling chatty36200:28:24,020 --> 00:28:31,300I am excited to go on this trip. Oh, I have so much fun. I've totally forgotten. Are we gonna see edgertown? Yes36300:28:31,460 --> 00:28:33,460Okay, definitely see edgertown36400:28:33,780 --> 00:28:37,860from there is where we'd go to cape podge, which is the one that i'm on the edge about because we'd have to36500:28:38,820 --> 00:28:42,820Put in some effort do that's right. Do a lot of the fairies come in36600:28:43,380 --> 00:28:47,060To edgertown. It's the kind of the main you said it's the main no36700:28:47,860 --> 00:28:50,660It's they come north to most fairies36800:28:50,660 --> 00:28:54,580there are some that come in here, but most of the fairies come into oak bluffs or36900:28:55,140 --> 00:28:59,220there's like those two humps of land one is oak bluffs and one is37000:29:00,180 --> 00:29:02,180vineyard haven or37100:29:03,700 --> 00:29:09,060Yeah, I think that's what if it has to do with the depth of the water or political reasons at this point37200:29:09,060 --> 00:29:11,060you know different towns are37300:29:11,060 --> 00:29:16,900Trying to get the the port traffic. Yeah, I don't know and if they're worried about getting back and forth across37400:29:17,540 --> 00:29:19,060between37500:29:19,060 --> 00:29:21,060chapiquitic chapiquitic37600:29:21,780 --> 00:29:24,820Other one and martha's vineyards the mainland37700:29:24,980 --> 00:29:30,660I wonder if they try and reduce how much traffic is coming in so that it doesn't impede that. Yeah37800:29:31,540 --> 00:29:33,620I do think they have a big bridge over there. I don't know37900:29:34,420 --> 00:29:36,420I wonder what the ferry is like38000:29:36,500 --> 00:29:40,180Um that really short one to chapiquitic island. I think it just goes all day long38100:29:40,260 --> 00:29:46,040Yeah, and you can take your car over it too. So we had uh, it was fantastic38200:29:46,040 --> 00:29:53,020Opportunity I was very fortunate to be able to do got to go to dawson city in the uconn in canada38300:29:53,900 --> 00:29:55,900And so we rode our motorcycles38400:29:55,900 --> 00:29:58,860On this highway the alcan alaska canada highway38500:29:59,260 --> 00:30:04,620And then we got down to the water and I was the one in in front and my phone was navigating38600:30:05,180 --> 00:30:09,820You know strapped to my handlebars and I've got this radio in my helmet. I'm talking to my dad my brother38700:30:10,300 --> 00:30:13,740And I was like, well, how do we where's the bridge? Is the bridge gone?38800:30:13,740 --> 00:30:17,820Is the where how do we get to this town? We're exhausted. It's the end of our day38900:30:18,860 --> 00:30:21,820dusty inside of everything I can taste dust, but39000:30:23,020 --> 00:30:24,140I see39100:30:24,140 --> 00:30:26,620I'm an idiot. We're supposed to cross on a ferry39200:30:27,180 --> 00:30:34,380To get into dawson city. Yeah, and the ferry is coming across the water and it's like glacial wash39300:30:34,460 --> 00:30:36,460So it's like this this gray39400:30:37,100 --> 00:30:41,100Water and it's rushing and so the ferry is aimed upstream39500:30:41,100 --> 00:30:46,460And it's coming straight across and it took like three or four minutes for it to get across and then39600:30:47,180 --> 00:30:52,140Unloaded and then we loaded which is his own story and then we got across and it's to go back the other way39700:30:52,140 --> 00:30:54,460It's also facing upstream just to fight the current39800:30:55,100 --> 00:30:59,260But this guy just does it all day long the guy's steering the boat. Yeah or lady39900:30:59,260 --> 00:31:03,500I don't know, but the pilot was just totally accustomed to that current40000:31:04,140 --> 00:31:08,860I wonder I was gonna say this job is probably really cool too. This ferry. It's not a river40100:31:08,860 --> 00:31:12,300But it's funny how that's like a story everywhere. I wonder how the waters are here40200:31:12,300 --> 00:31:17,500I would presume they're pretty calm if they built a lighthouse. That was just a house on the edge40300:31:18,140 --> 00:31:21,580Well edgertown. I was looking at the map is the biggest40400:31:22,540 --> 00:31:26,780land cove overall as the most protection from oh40500:31:28,220 --> 00:31:32,540I'm looking at i'm just guessing. Yeah, but it's the largest like inlet of land40600:31:33,100 --> 00:31:35,340There's the the other town that's up north. It's40700:31:35,340 --> 00:31:41,580Another another ferry town. It's in another cove, but it's much more narrow province town province town40800:31:42,140 --> 00:31:48,220It looks to be much more narrow. So it is very small. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yepers cool40900:31:48,220 --> 00:31:50,220Very pretty very cool41000:31:50,220 --> 00:31:57,500That's it edgertown harbor a classic story of replacing the original lighthouse with some other light41100:31:57,820 --> 00:32:03,820It's like NASA light and they're so similar looking all the lighthouses on cape cod look very similar41200:32:03,820 --> 00:32:11,340So it'll be fun to take pictures of them all a lot of them are this like steel banded tower. Yeah, I wonder if that's41300:32:12,280 --> 00:32:18,140Practicality or I think it's just looks yeah. I mean the outer banks was like all brick41400:32:18,700 --> 00:32:23,340Everything was brick. Yeah. Yeah, and they said something about um, when they moved this one41500:32:23,340 --> 00:32:29,100They didn't include a brick lining that it had originally and maybe was outside of the steel. Yeah41600:32:29,100 --> 00:32:33,820Outside of the steel. Yeah, so anyway, that's all41700:32:34,620 --> 00:32:39,100Well, thank you should have had a history buoy. I think this would have been a perfect length, but41800:32:39,900 --> 00:32:41,180It's a good length41900:32:41,180 --> 00:32:42,860Rest assured42000:32:42,860 --> 00:32:44,540And i'm saying it now42100:32:44,540 --> 00:32:47,500Next episode i'm gonna have a history buoy42200:32:48,140 --> 00:32:50,140No more disappointment for me42300:32:50,220 --> 00:32:57,020Very good. You can send us an email at the lighthouse lowdown at gmail.com check out our instagram our linkedin42400:32:57,020 --> 00:32:58,860our42500:32:58,860 --> 00:33:00,780youtube and42600:33:00,780 --> 00:33:04,060We have a lot of other I think that's it. Wait instagram42700:33:04,940 --> 00:33:12,380LinkedIn twitter youtube no, i mean twitter's dead x now. No, we're not on x. We don't have facebook either linkedin youtube42800:33:12,940 --> 00:33:14,940All the places you can listen to podcasts42900:33:14,940 --> 00:33:27,420Yeah, that's it. We hope you enjoyed listening and we'll catch you next time on the lighthouse below