The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Historic Restoration Project was honored by the American Public Works Association’s Genesee Valley Branch at a dinner in Rochester, NY, on February 3^rd. The APWA Projects of the Year Awards recognize outstanding achievements in completion of a public works project. The Orleans County contingent was represented at the dinner by Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum trustees Peg Wiley, Bill Karcher, and committee member Nancy Karcher. The Oak Orchard Lighthouse project was awarded the 2010 Historic Restoration Project of the Year for projects under 5 million dollars. The award puts the Oak Orchard Lighthouse Project in line for the APWA New York State award for the same category, which according to John Paul Sheppe, an engineer on the project, ” has a good chance to win due to its uniqueness”.

The re-construction of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse, initiated by private citizens in 2002, became a public project when the Orleans County Marine Park became the site for the project, in partnership with Orleans County and NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Funding for the project included private fundraising and a 50/50 matching EPF Grant as well as funding sponsored by Senator George Maziarz and Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

Chatfield Engineers, Rochester, NY, provided engineering for the project and architect Thomas Simbari, Simbari Designs, Rochester, recreated the historic structure utilizing a 1909 survey along with extensive research into historic Great Lakes lighthouse structures. Through the public bid process, construction services were provided by Nathaniel General Contractors, Rochester. The survey by the U.S. Government was preserved at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The original lighthouse was destroyed by a December gale in 1916, after being decommissioned.

It’s official! The Oak Orchard Lighthouse is now a destination on the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. After 8 years of fund-raising and promotion, the full scale historic replica of the lighthouse that once graced the mouth of the Oak Orchard Harbor at Point Breeze in Orleans County has been completed. Since the June 2010 completion date, over 800 persons from around the world have signed the Visitor Book. Many more visited during off hours and museum trustees estimate 1,000-2,000 visited the lighthouse in 2010. With Great Lakes Seaway Trail recognition and promotion, many more thousands are expected.

The light, under operation from April 1 to November 1, is recognized as a Private Aid to Navigation, or “PATN” and operates under regulation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Department of the Coast Guard with a 2 nautical mile range limit. While the regulated light is darkened until April 1 have decorated the exterior structure for the holidays, complete with a holiday tree in the gallery. Holiday lighting will continue until mid-January.

The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum Committee continues to raise funds to secure a suitable site to construct a museum to preserve maritime history of the area and region. Plans include a bootleg room, a room dedicated to the International Snipe Class racing sailboat, and celebration of an incident that occurred at the harbor during the War of 1812. Subjects such as these have a solid place in history in the Point Breeze and Western New York areas, with more stories yet to be told.

There are many opportunities to join in the effort to complete the work at the lighthouse site as well as help with museum goals. Individual, Family & Lifetime memberships are available. Personalized bricks for $50 continue to be sold for placement in the memorial walkway at the lighthouse site, start date early spring 2011. The museum committee seeks members to help out at fund-raising events and activities, and to act as docents when the lighthouse re-opens for visitors April 1.

For more information on how you can be a part of this exciting project, please go to www.oakorchardlighthouse.org or call Dick at 941-741-8042 or Peg at 585-682-4552. To see us on the Great Lakes Seaway Trail, go to www.seawaytrail.com/lighthouse.