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As the contractor’s crew was opening walls and removing parts of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse tower, two unexpected items were discovered.
First, in examining the lowest belt course, the crew dislodged a plastic envelope hidden underneath the ironwork containing a Father’s Day card, circa 2001. The undated card may have been placed that June, only a few months before the tower was closed to the public. Though the lighthouse on its front is similar to Pigeon Point, it is actually Pemaquid Point in Maine. Inside, the message from son to father is poignant and moving. Though why or who placed the card is unknown, it is a reminder of the guiding hand of a father’s influence.
The second item was revealed when the vent ball and lightning rod were removed. In between the rod and the vent ball’s mounting bolt was a 1992 nickel. It seems that in the US Coast Guard’s 1992 rehabilitation project, they found the lightning rod was actually a wooden broomstick. A new rod was installed only to discover a small gap, breaking the connection between the rod and the grounding system. One of the workers reached into his pocket and pulled out a nickel which was the perfect dimension to establish the critical connection.
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