Annual Meeting Presentation Highlights
The FILA 2023 Annual Meeting was held at The Union in Northport December 6 with a mix of new and returning members and volunteers.
Highlights from the presentation follow:
The season started in May with clearing stone that had accumulated during the prior high water.
The next team re-shingled the east portico; performed seasonal screen door installations; installed the National Register sign and did extensive grounds work.
Team 3 included a mason and a paint crew. The 1867 tower interior painting was completed as was the parlor. The workshop exterior was scraped and painted; its chimney tuckpointed. Masonry work also addressed deterioration on the Fog Signal steps as well as repairs to the steps and retaining wall behind the Assistant Keepers Quarters.
Several teams contributed to the solar installation. The panels and much of the equipment were donated by St. Helena Island Lighthouse. The recharging station charges several solar generators that were provided under a DNR grant.
Another great project was finding and restoring the lighthouse’s original front screen door!
Completion of the tower masonry project finally allowed the front door inside to be properly trimmed out (the photo in the presentation is the “before” image with carpenter Ben contemplating the work to be done.)
Initial work began on the 1867 lantern room, removing the deteriorated sheet metal and the vent bases, trying to save as much of the original hardware as possible. Last year, volunteers had cut out and inserted Lexan in most of the plywood panels. This improved views for visitors and needed light to begin this work. Next year’s goal is to restore the window frames. Restoring the glass and vents are future phases.
In addition to the 1867 lantern room work, this team also reinserted an errant panel in the 1905 skeletal tower lantern room and removed door hardware to try to recreate worn and missing parts over the winter.
Other projects include installation of a screen door on the rear of the workshop, building a small deck for more secure propane handling and oil changes on the mower and generators.
August brought installation of restored windows both in the Assistant Keepers Quarters and the 1867 Lighthouse basement. It also saw some furniture deliveries: a restored Baker’s cabinet for the kitchen and a period appropriate cedar chest (shown in the newly painted parlor.)
The “Keeper’s Log” https://southfoxlighthouse.org/log/ provides additional images from the season as does the Restoration page https://southfoxlighthouse.org/restoration/2023-restoration-activities/
The presentation wrapped up with plans for 2024.
