Plans to restore Cape Canaveral Lighthouse begin

Sue DeWerff -

A project to restore the grounds, walkways and the former keeper's cottages surrounding the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse is now part of a project under way by foundation members and the 45th Space Wing of the United States Air Force.

The project, entitled the "Keepers Brick Project," hopes to raise funds to re-build brick walkways that once linked the lighthouse with the cottages.

The fundraiser will allow visitors and the local community a chance to participate by purchasing individual bricks that will be used to construct the new walkways. Each brick, priced at $150, will include personal engraving of three rows with as many as 12 characters per line.

Funds raised for the project will also be used to build three cottages in the exact location where they existed in the late 1800s.

One of the cottages will be earmarked for use as an archeological center and the lighthouse gift shop, where visitors can purchase high-quality Cape Canaveral Lighthouse merchandise and memorabilia.

Currently the gift shop operates at the Cape cafeteria on the base, or online at www.canaverallight.org.

A second cottage will be constructed with facilities to house foundation members and the Air Force for the purpose of holding conferences and meetings.

The third cottage will serve as a museum and educational center. This building will house information about the history of the lighthouse and its keepers, and serve as a place for visitors to discover general information about the Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral historical sites in and around the area, as well as the history of the lighthouse.

The Cape Canaveral Lighthouse, one of the oldest mapped locations in the U.S., is currently the only lighthouse owned by an Air Force base. Transfer of ownership to Cape Canaveral Air Force station from the U.S. Coastguard took place on Dec. 14, 2000.

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