Lot 344
[Frank Island Lighthouse], An Account of the Time Building the Light House on Frank Island, New Orleans, ledger with watermarked, laid paper, three quarter leather boards, manuscript entries, one month per page, covering the period from March 1, 1818 through April 17, 1823, the front signed "Benjamin Beal, Hingham, 1818", each page noting the days worked by each worker, with various notes scattered throughout including; "cutting wood up the river", "stole a boat and absconded", "drunk", men docked for "disturbing the house after bed time", "refused to return to the Island and stay'd at Blakely", with other entries noting the ebb and flow of workers on various boats, 15 in. x 9 1/2 in. Note: The Frank Island Lighthouse was commissioned in 1804 by President Thomas Jefferson to mark the entrance of the Mississippi River, gateway to the new Louisiana Territory. The renowned architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe was selected as the designer. His magnificent plans, now conserved in the National Archives, proved to be too difficult for anyone to undertake and another plan was chosen. Winslow Lewis started work on the lighthouse, using this less complicated plan and subcontracted the job to Benjamin Beal of Hingham, Massachusetts. Shortly after the lighthouse was lit in 1820 the foundation started to crack, soon crumbling to the ground. Lewis was again chosen to complete the new lighthouse which was completed in 1823 The light was turned on March 20, 1823, an event that is simply noted in this lot's entry for that day as "Light the Light House."
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