The Southport Times Acquires Rare
Price's Creek Lighthouse Postcard
October 2, 2010 –
The Southport Times has recently acquired a rare postcard showing a
view of the
Price's Creek Rear-Range Lighthouse. Southport Time's
Editor, Ben Celinski, said "We have been actively collecting
Southport postcards since 2004 when we founded The Southport Times.
This is only the second time we have ever seen this postcard come to
market. The first time we saw this postcard was at auction on eBay.
The postcard sold for just under $200.00."
The Price's Creek Lighthouse,
completed in 1849, consisted of two different structures. A
"front-range" light and a "rear-range" light. When a vessel was
coming up the Cape Fear River they would line up the front-range and
rear-range lights. This would ensure they were centered in the
channel.
The rear-range light and the
Light Keeper's house are long gone. It is speculated that the
materials were used in local building projects. The remains of the
front-range light are what can be seen from the
Southport-Fort
Fisher Ferry as you are leaving or approaching the Southport ferry
dock. The Southport Times also owns an equally rare copy of a
postcard of the front-range light. "The purchase of the rear-range
light postcard will be a wonderful addition to our
collection of
rare Southport area postcards," stated Celinski.
Celinski continued, "To give
you an idea of how old this rear-range light is, it should be noted
that this postcard is from 1908 and the postcard refers to the subject
of the postcard as being 'The Old Lighthouse.' It should also be
noted, that the picture on this postcard shows, that as of about
1908, when the picture was taken, the lighthouse was already heavily
deteriorated and overgrown with weeds and bushes."
This postcard was published by
E.C. Kropp in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The card was postmarked in
Southport on July 23, 1908 at 2:00 PM. The card was mailed to Mrs. B.H. King at 509 South Front Street in Wilmington, North Carolina.
The Southport Times is proud
to have had the opportunity to acquire this postcard. The postcard
will be professionally archived in our collection and will also be
displayed on our website in digital format for all to enjoy.
View
Rear-Range Lighthouse Postcard
View Front-Range
Lighthouse Postcard
Learn More About The History of The Price's Creek Lighthouse
More
Articles About The Southport, NC Area
|
