Lighthouses

“A lighthouse will always survive the storm.”

I found this written over a bunch of memes on Pinterest during a search for something else.

Inspiring.

Except – this isn’t actually true.

I pasted above a photo of the Erie Land Light in Eria, PA. The third Erie Land Light.  The first two lighthouses at this spot fell apart after storms.

So, when the storm is fierce enough, even a lighthouse can fall apart.

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However: Lighthouse number #3 has stood since 1867.

See, the first two lighthouses failed in part to poor soil conditions. The builders poured a massive concrete foundation before they built lighthouse #3.

So, it’s not enough to just be a lighthouse. You also need a dependable foundation.

Also, here’s another lighthouse that survived many storms. This is the Grand Island East Channel Light, built in 1868: