Cape St. George Lighthouse Progression, Part III: Let Your Light Shine Before Men

Machines, Men & Muscle: It's not all paint chips and crayons. 

When you have been a sign-maker for a short time you'll realize that it is like wrestling

an octopus.

This craft demands that you know a little about many other crafts and trades. The variety of overlapping skills that are required to do this creatively means networking and relying upon the expertise of others.

  Allen Boatright of Boatright Timber Service milled the old growth cypress posts for the project. Allen is a family friend. When asked if he had anything (cypress) he could cut 14 foot posts from,
he mentioned a couple of logs in the timber-yard that had been drying for two years. When I arrived he had already milled the CSGL's posts and was milling some planks on the powerful band saw shown to the right. Boatright sits on the Board of Directors of The Florida Forestry Association, has served as National Chairman and is Chairman of Florida's "Log A Load For Kids" charity.

  

For at least 25 years I have been able to count on David Watson and his staff

at Iron Images, Inc.

Watson has the down to earth quality of taking my ideas

and doing what it takes to make them happen, properly.

The powder-coated, welded framing is secured to the custom milled posts, before they are set in the ground.

 A Surprise for the Folks at CSGL: 

 

The restored Light is from circa 1852. I wanted to include just one more special touch. So I deviated slightly from my originally submitted design by carving "1852" into the post ornamentation. Sixteen of these 1/2 inch disks were fashioned on the CarveWright machine. 

The MDO sign panels are "sandwiched" between the layering of the carved and blasted HDU head-piece. It was coated with two applications of fiber glass resin, and finished with 100% acrylic paints.

Terry Kemp, Secretary of The St. George Lighthouse Association and Pandora Schlitt a  CSGL supporter,

were present for the long awaited installation of the

Park's newest addition. 

A special thank you to Jim & Terry Kemp, George Floyd of the Apalachicola Maritime Museum and The Franklin County Tourist Developement Council.The Cape St. George Light sign will easily be one of the most memorable

projects of my career. St. George Island has changed dramatically since my childhood visits. Any trip to the island remains special. Please visit the CSGL Park and climb the Light's spiraled staircase. See for yourself why Franklin County can be so proud of what these folks have accomplished.