SCITUATE, MASS. (WHDH) - After more than a year, the historic Scituate Lighthouse is once again whole.
Crews used a crane to hoist the lighthouse’s newly-restored lantern room to the top of the structure Wednesday morning. The restoration is part of a larger restoration project at the lighthouse, which Town Administrator Jim Boudreau recently described as “the iconic place in Scituate.”
“It’s been a lot of work,” said Bob Chessia of the Scituate Historical Society. “But it’s well worth it.”
Boudreau said the tower itself is 200 years old. Its lantern room was installed in the 1930s.
“Clad in copper and being on the ocean for 100 years, it took a beating,” Boudreau said. “So, that had to come off.”
Crews removed the lantern room in October of last year and spent the past year fixing it at a cost of more than $2 million.
“We just wanted to make sure that it was done right and would last well past our lifetimes,” Chessia said.
Several people in Scituate gathered on Wednesday to see the start of a new chapter in the lighthouse’s history as its restored lantern room was installed.
Community members said they are thrilled the lighthouse is back in all its glory.
“It was just exciting just to see the top going back on after it has been off for over a year,” said Jill West. “Last time it was like that was in the mid 1800s.”
“It’s huge,” said Scituate resident Debra Jackson. “It has lasted all these years and it’s going to last for another 100-200 years.”
During the winter months, crews will be installing new windows and securing the rest of the copper on the lighthouse.
In the spring, crews will then be able to add a fresh coat of paint to complete the current lighthouse restoration project.
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