Old lighthouse reopens as a museum after four-year restoration
The lamp room and the keeper's cottage are open to visitors for the first time
The Point Ellery lighthouse reopened on Saturday as a museum, four years and $2.3 million after restoration work began on the 1874 tower.
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For Dana Whitlock, a resident of the East Harbor district for more than two decades, the announcement was overdue. "We have been asking for this since my kids were in school," she said. "I am glad it is finally moving, even if it is later than it should be."
The measure passed with broad support after an amendment removed the most contested clause. Supporters called the compromise a practical way forward; critics said it postponed the hardest questions to a later date.
Staff at the city planning office will hold three open sessions next month so residents can ask questions and review the maps. Dates and locations will be posted on the county website and at the public library.
Inside the tower
Similar programs in nearby coastal towns have produced mixed results. In one case, participation exceeded projections within the first year; in another, delays in permitting pushed the launch back by almost twelve months.
The city expects to publish a first progress report in the autumn. Until then, the planning office will accept written comments by email and at the front desk of City Hall during business hours.
Local employers have welcomed the news. "Anything that makes it easier for people to get to work and back is good for us," said Dana Whitlock, who runs a family business near the marina and employs about forty people during the summer season.