Plan Archives
Yay! Finally, the tube of plans I ordered from the National Archives in Philly arrived. Some of them are a little confusing - it looks like the original orientation of the interior was going to be the opposite of what it is now (one set of plans shows “south” with the trap door behind the doorway and stairs entrance when in fact, those are on the north side). They at least confirm the investigation we did in the “basement” to figure out the cistern water collection system. I had read something that stated the cisterns were in the watch room, which seems impossible, so the plans confirm the placement in the basement (although only show one when two are in the history). I’ve noticed some misinformation on the written history and need to go through the website and correct things. Also, it’s hard to determine exactly where the kitchen was as it appears to have been the room to the left of the entrance, but the plans show it to the right in one set and even further toward the back in another. There are more plans up there for both lights in the Lower Range, so I plan on taking a trip to Philly and going through each and every one to see what else I need to complete the set. The database shows one specifically titled as “floor arrangements”, which should be highly interesting. Photos (not the best quality) of the plans after the continue reading link (includes two of the Millers Island Lighthouse).