Keep Beavertail Light Shining

As the third oldest lighthouse in North America, Beavertail Lighthouse has more than its share of history. Preserving and sharing that history is no easy task, but it’s one that the all-volunteer Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Association is willing to take on. Since restoration efforts began in 2004, museum visits have nearly doubled to 32,000 annually, and the museum space has tripled.

“While most of the rehabilitation has been accomplished, the age of the buildings and the relentless weather on an exposed site means there is always more to do,” says Nicole Contino, a member of the museum’s board of directors. “We believe in this work of protecting Beavertail Light, an icon of Jamestown.”

To keep that work going for years to come, the museum is raising money through a one-time donation campaign. With local historian James Buttrick pledging to match donations up to $500,000, the BLMA will create an endowment fund for maintaining the lighthouse. So far, $218,000 has been raised and donations are being accepted through the end of the year on the museum’s website and at GoFundMe.com/Beavertail.