Last August, the Government Services Administration announced that it was holding an online auction to sell the Hooper Island Lighthouse, a sparkplug-type structure in the lower Chesapeake that had fallen into disrepair.
Built in 1902, the lighthouse lies in 18 feet of water about 3.75 miles west of Middle Hooper Island; it’s a bit south of Solomons and closer to the eastern shore, and it’s 63 feet high. The GSA said it required a starting bid of $15,000, and “inspection of the structure must be done at a safe distance.” The bidding deadline was Sept. 21.
As it turned out, the bidding was not a spirited affair. Indeed, when it ended, Rich Cucé, who owns a painting and blasting business near Allentown, Pennsylvania, bought the lighthouse for $192,000. He was the only bidder, and he had never seen the lighthouse in person.
Cucé says he always wanted to own a lighthouse, and that owning one would be more interesting than getting involved in an investment property. He’s used to challenges. He lives in a 200-year-old frame barn that he moved piece by piece from several miles away.
And now Cucé has a mission. “Restore the Lighthouse. Restore the Bay.” He thinks it will take about a year to restore the lighthouse, and then he wants to use it as a place where people can learn about the bay, and to study its history and environment.
Cucé has started a website and social media pages to promote his work. He wants to create videos and perhaps a documentary about the project.
Although he’s not a boater, Cucé just bought a boat, a 25-foot, 1989 Parker with a Volvo sterndrive, so he can visit his new property. One problem: The boat’s name is Bandit, but Cucé says he’s going to change that very soon. Read more:
http://hooperislandlighthouse.org
