Beyond the glitzy lights of the State Fair’s Midway, there is an exhibit about bright beacons that guide boaters and commercial ships across the State. The exhibit is called “A Path Through Maritime History: Lighthouses and Life Saving.” New York Sea Grant Recreation Specialist Dave White says even the Statue of Liberty is a lighthouse.
“They’re a critical component of our maritime history and how we’ve grown as a country and being able to provide that opportunity to get folks safely in and out of our harbors.”
Most of the 70 lighthouses in the state are now automated and White says they serve as heritage tourist destinations. Some are set-up as B and B’s.
“In several of the ones that are automated you can go up and see the new technologies. There are very few traditional lighthouse keepers – some of the historical ones will still have a lighthouse keeper.”
One part of the exhibit at the Fair looks at role of women lighthouse keepers.
“It’s really focused on a lot of the women lighthouse keepers. Their husbands had passed and they were
actually the keepers – the people who would do the most about it were their spouses. So they actually became the lighthouse keepers as well. It brings a lot of tradition, a lot of family issues and opportunities to think about how that life was as a lighthouse keeper, because many of them were in remote locations. They had to live off the land right there and they had their gardens. That’s where they really lived and spent their life in a lot of cases.”
The exhibit allows fairgoers to look-up the history of their favorite lighthouses and see if they can pay a future visit by land or water. Safe boating mini-lessons hosted by the US Coast Guard and Kayak building demonstrations are also a part of the exhibit. It’s located on the Fair’s West End beyond the new Expo Center in the New York Experience festival grounds. Look for the inflatable lighthouse.
