Write a commentThe H. Lee White Maritime Museum at Oswego has seen a surge in support for the Oswego West Pierhead Lighthouse from the local community since taking over the restoration work in 2014.
Whether it’s financial, or in the form of in-kind donations or volunteer support; the community seems to agree in their support of this iconic structure. To date, the Maritime Museum has been able to organize and employ a corps of volunteers who have made great strides on the restoration of the Lighthouse’s interior. Regarding volunteer hours alone, the Museum has seen a 73% increase in volunteer hours spent at the Lighthouse in just one year’s time, jumping from 450 hours in 2014 to 780 hours in 2015. Additional volunteer hours have added to the success of fund raising efforts in 2015.
What aids in the success of those volunteer efforts, though, is solid financial support from the local citizens of Oswego. A recent donation from David Granoff, webmaster of Oswego’s tourism website www.VisitOswegoNY.com, exemplifies such a cause. When asked why he feels such support is necessary he proclaimed that “restoration efforts that will lead to enhanced tourism opportunities will go a long way towards educating the public about Oswego and the Great Lakes, and the Lighthouse will provide a favorite destination for future generations to visit and admire.” Granoff, who views the Lighthouse as an “Icon for Humanity,” is just one of the many local citizens who continually demonstrate our combined appreciation for Oswego’s maritime history, heritage and culture.
These feats, along with strategic financial planning and a solid public-private preservation partnership with the City of Oswego, has led to the Museum being able to offer limited public tours to the Lighthouse during the 2016 fair weather season. For more information on how you can support the Lighthouse, visit www.hlwmm.org, or give the Maritime Museum a call at (315) 342-0480.
