Buying a lighthouse is more than a real estate transaction. It’s a lifestyle change that links you to a proud American tradition.
The best way to find lighthouses for sale is via a U.S. Government lighthouse “property disposal”. These happen sporadically. When one is going on,the General Services Administration lists available lighthouses on this web page.
If the government isn’t selling a lighthouse, a private owner might be. Here are three ways to keep an eye out for private sales:
- AneBay search for “lighthouse” in their “real estate” category.通常情况下,他们是“现在购买”,但有时你必须出价。
- Zillow’sPorchlight blogsometimes highlights unique properties for sale, like lighthouses.
- AGoogle News search for “lighthouse for sale”.
Why Are Lighthouses Even For Sale?
Lighthouses are still important to yachtsmen, recreational boaters, and mega-tanker captains alike. They perform the life-saving function of letting these folks know: “Hey! Too close!” Even in these days of satellite navigation,ships still run aground.
Why, you may be wondering, would the United States government let anyone with money to flash take over these flashing safety beacons?
Electricity is one, thrift is the other.
Once, the light coming from lighthouses was from a gas flame. Someone needed to scare up enough oil to keep that flame going and shepherd it through windstorms and cold weather. Also, lighthouses had unique signals, which mariners relied on to know where they were.
Ebonee Gregory grew up in a lighthouse andwrote about the experience for The Guardian.“我的父亲是灯塔看守助理,他的工作是帮助灯塔看守头运行和维护灯塔和岛屿。他们每周轮流开灯,每天晚上开灯,早上关灯,擦玻璃,测量天气读数,白天拉上窗帘,防止阳光集中在棱镜上引起火灾。”
Now, lighthouse lanterns are powered by electricity. A few basic checks every couple of months are all that’s needed to keep them shining.
Of course, it couldn’t hurt to have someone on-site, in case of a freak power outage or unexpected malfunction. But that requires two full-time people per lighthouse. The cost adds up. Most of the world’s nations have automated their lighthouses. Japan, Ireland, and Norway don’t have any manned lighthouses.
In the U.S.,all lighthouses have been automated since 1983, with one exception. By edict of Congress,Boston Light must be staffed in perpetuity.(不过,这盏灯仍然是自动的)。
Should You Buy A Lighthouse?
Let’s tackle the practical matter first – cost.
You may have heard that the government sometimes gives away lighthouses for free. You may also have heard the saying, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” There’s no such thing as a free lighthouse either.
这些礼物灯塔是有附加条件的。灯塔的接受者必须同意将它恢复到原来的状态。让我们在这里诚实-这些不像弦更像一个沉重的锚链。历史修复是一个昂贵、耗时、经常令人沮丧的过程。
Even if you buy a lighthouse without the historical restoration requirement, you’ll still need to put money into it. These are old buildings, they’ll need upkeep. And it may have dawned on you – they are invariably situated near water. You’ll have to deal with flooding, salt water damage, erosion, and wet feet.
“There always seems to be this romantic notion of owning a lighthouse,” lighthouse owner Nick Korstadtold the Boston Globe.“但事实并非如此。这需要很多工作。”
If you want to try out the lighthouse lifestyle before committing, maybe volunteer at one first? Recent opportunities have been listedin TasmaniaandNorway.位于北极圈边缘的挪威项目背后的人们警告说:“来到这里的志愿者需要对在普通舒适区边缘的自我可持续生活感兴趣。”
Isolation is another issue. Casey Jordanowns a lighthouse off the coast of Maine.为了到达那里,她坐了一个小时的渡船到一个小岛,在那里她坐上她的船,开十分钟的车到灯塔。我只想说,她很少有客人来访。
The Romance Of The Lighthouse
显然,高昂的成本、艰苦的工作和与世隔绝并没有吓跑所有人。维护一座灯塔,无论它是不是一座历史悠久的灯塔,都将你与灯塔看守人的悠久传统联系在一起,他们牺牲了自己的社会生活,以保护船员的安全。
The U.S. Coast Guard honored lighthouse keepers of the past bynaming a series of ships after them.美国海军伊达·刘易斯号是为了纪念罗德岛纽波特灯塔看守人,他从灯塔划出来帮助溺水的水手。她在54年的职业生涯中拯救了18条生命。
Even though lighthouses aren’t as necessary as they once were, they are still getting built. The town of Waveland, Mississippi built one in 2018, not to warn off mariners,but to attract tourists.灯塔会发光,但它没有导航的作用——它纯粹是装饰。
Whether it’s in密西根湖orPoland, Lighthousesare popular tourist attractions all over the world.所以,如果你真的买了一台,而且你知道一点营销知识,也许你终究不会孤独。
M.D.PANCHALsays
to sell a light house seems to be a wonder ?
FLORENTINE BOUTRANDsays
yup that’s quite true
L.A.Simonssays
I’m a radio broadcaster. Mostly music, talk, community highlights, personal development type programs. I have always had a romantic dream of broadcasting live from a lighthouse.
Preferably from a warm climate tho. Love the beach life. I just googled and was amazed to find this site.
Still fantasize but the articles about how much work it is sure woke me up! I loved the volunteer idea. Maybe i will research volunteering at a lighthouse amd see what comes up.
Thanks so much!