The postcard above is from Twin Lights Historical Society's Trustee, Bob Pellegrini's personal collection. Bob has been volunteering with the Society since 2008. His areas of interest are aviation history and postcard collecting.
This modern era chrome postcard captures the Little Red Lighthouse that sits under the George Washington Bridge. Beginning in 1880, the lighthouse sat at the end of Sandy Hook with a thousand-pound foghorn and flashing red light to guide ships. The Coast Guard dismantled the lighthouse in 1917 and relocated it to Jeffery Hook on the Hudson River in 1921.
The construction of the George Washington Bridge phased out the necessity of the lighthouse. A new love found the lighthouse with the 1942 publication of the Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift and Lynd Ward. Children and parents around the country found a faithful friend in the Little Red Lighthouse. An outpouring of love came when the lighthouse went up for auction, and a writing campaign saved it.
The Little Red Lighthouse was instrumental in teaching children the purpose and importance of lighthouses. Today, the Little Red Lighthouse continues to welcome travelers into the harbor. The lighthouse is part of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and is part of the Historic House Trust of NYC.
We hope you enjoyed and join us next week for another installment of our postcard conversations. Bob's collection spans national and local history which highlights popular culture and innovation.
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