SHORE VILLAGE MUSEUM NEWSLETTER No. 2-99, November 19, 1999 - page 1

Seems like I am always apologizing for the delay in getting this newsletter out. But must simply say that I have been busy -- busy -- busy. Also up until this newsletter I have been using DOS with the Leading Edge Program which I must say was great and relatively simple. But went into Windows 97 and it has been slow going. Every once in a while I do win the constant battle with it.

Must really thank all the supporters of the Shore Village Museum! In the last newsletter I asked for some help to assist with production costs and was really pleased with the result. Will ask for more help when the situation requires.

Except for a lack of normal rain it was a great summer here in the Grand State of Maine! Tourists were out in droves and all in all it was a busy season.

ADDRESSES: My home address is now 174 Sennebec Road, Union, ME 04862 and as always have an answering machine which I pay strict attention to. My e-mail address remains the same - knb@ime.net

There are two web sites for the Shore Village Museum -- the old one is http://www.tiac.net/users/buster/shorevillage. The new one, http://www.lighthouse.cc/shorevillage is preferred.

[webmaster's note: the old address will be phased out eventually, so please use http://www.lighthouse.cc/shorevillage ]

U. S. LIGHTHOUSE SOCIETY HONORS KEN BLACK: Wayne Wheeler, President of the Society, has presented the annual president's award to Ken Black, director of the Shore Village Museum. Wheeler noted that in 1968, before most people realized the beauty of lighthouse service artifacts and before the present lighthouse craze took off, Black began collecting artifacts as the Coast Guard disposed of them. At that time Black was a Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer and Commanding Officer of the Rockland Coast Guard Station. Like many hobbies, his started with a collection of post cards that he mounted and placed on the wall of the station. That initial collection grew as brass artifacts, old buoy lanterns, and other material started to accumulate. In 1973 Black retired, but continued to shepherd his collection, searching far and near for artifacts that many people in general, and the Coast Guard in particular, were not interested in. In 1976 a new Coast Guard Station was built in Rockland and the artifact collection was transferred to the Grand Army Hall, which became the Shore Village Museum. For the past 31 years Black has worked at expanding the collection, giving talks at various functions, sending out periodic newsletters at no charge and being a valuable asset to the lighthouse community, the award said. He has done all this as a volunteer and probably spent a good deal of his own funds in making this lighthouse museum a reality. Black has saved countless lighthouse service artifacts and raised the public's consciousness of lighthouses, lightships and aids to navigation in general.

 

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