Lighthouses

Lighthouses
By Anne Schoch

Why are so many people drawn to lighthouses? There are probably a lot of different reasons. Maybe it is because lighthouses are found in some of the most beautiful places on earth, many on rugged coast lines dotted with trees, others along the sandy beaches, still others on reefs or rocks out in the ocean. To some, lighthouses appeal to their nostalgic or artistic senses since many of the lighthouses are some of the most historical structures to be found in the United States today. Yet it may be that they are drawn to the lighthouses due to the multitude of heroic rescues associated with them. It does not matter, whether warning mariners of danger or aiding them in finding safe passage into the harbor, lighthouses today as in the past, stand as beacons of safety and security. The lighthouse mystic is a part of our past, present, and future. Let their lights forever shine.

Many years ago, people lived in a primitive way, hunting and growing their own food. Eventually, they decided to explore the water in a boat in search of what the sea had to offer for food. During the day it was easy for them to find their way home, maybe by a pile of rocks they had left on the shore or some other type of sign. Night was a different story since much of the shore looked the same. Friends would often help them out by building bonfires on top of a high point to guide them safely home. Sometimes, nature even helped by providing a glowing volcano as a guide in aiding the sailors to find their way home. As bigger ships were built and mariners sailed further from home, many were wrecked as the waves pushed them into rocky shores or dangerous reefs. So the need for some type of warning signal arose. The lighthouse came into being.