Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
August 18, 1904 A newly completed lighthouse in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia was first lit. This lighthouse, which is located in the community of Gilbert’s Cove on the western coast of Nova Scotia, was built primarily to help guide schooners sailing up and down St. Mary’s Bay in that region of Canada. Many... Continue Reading →
August 12, 1908 In Michigan, a new era in motorboats began when marine designer John L. Hacker purchased the vessel manufacturer Detroit Launch & Power Company and renamed it the Hacker Boat Company. The 31-year-old Hacker, bringing into play his expert craftsmanship and a wealth of ideas for design improvements, would revolutionize the use of... Continue Reading →
August 9, 1978 On Singapore’s southeastern coast, a lighthouse in the planning area and matured residential town of Bedok formally began operations. The inauguration of Bedok Lighthouse took place on National Day of Singapore. This holiday is held each year on August 9 to commemorate Singapore’s independence from Malaysia in 1965. Bedok Lighthouse also... Continue Reading →
August 4, 1999 In the Netherlands, a vessel built to serve as a training ship for the Brazilian Navy was christened and launched. Cisne Branco, which means “White Swan” in Brazil’s official language of Portuguese, is a full-rigged tall ship (a large sailing vessel) that was constructed by the Dutch company Damen Shipyards Group. This... Continue Reading →
July 26, 1884 A pivotal milestone occurred in the construction of a lighthouse in Maryland’s Eastern Shore region. This milestone specifically involved setting up the cottage-like superstructure for Great Shoals Light at the mouth of the Wicomico River, a 24.4-mile (39.3-kilometer)-long tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. The components for that superstructure had been manufactured at... Continue Reading →
July 15, 1880 The American Shoal Light, which is located on a submerged reef in the Florida Keys, first went into service. The inaugural lighting of this navigational aid was done that night by William Bates, the newly constructed lighthouse's first keeper. He served in that role until 1889. The American Shoal Light can be found about 15 miles... Continue Reading →
July 8, 1862 In the Australian colony (now state) of New South Wales, a group of 19 men met in the office of merchant William Walker in Sydney to establish a club to promote local boating activities. (Along with being an avid yachtsman, Walker was the head of a prominent shipbuilding firm; in addition, he... Continue Reading →
July 7, 1860 The Swallowtail Lighthouse first went into service on Grand Manan Island, a section of the Bay of Fundy that is part of the present-day Canadian province of New Brunswick. At the time of that lighthouse’s debut, New Brunswick was a British colony; in 1867, it became one of the four original provinces... Continue Reading →
June 28, 2015 An apostrophe-shaped, cantilevered swing bridge built for pedestrians and bicyclists only was officially opened in the port city and unitary authority of Kingston upon Hull (also known simply as Hull) in northeastern England. This bridge spans the local harbor, which connects with the River Humber, and serves as a link between Scale... Continue Reading →
June 21, 1884 In Portugal, an engineer named Ricardo Peyroteu formally proposed the construction of a lighthouse to help safely guide vessels in the country’s southernmost region. Peyroteu submitted this proposal to the General Directorate of Posts, Telegraphs and Lighthouses of the Kingdom of Portugal. (At the time, Portugal was a constitutional monarchy.) Construction on... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 