[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 75 (Tuesday, June 13, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S5776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING KENNETH BLACK OF MAINE

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I wish to commemorate the grand 
opening of the Maine Discovery Center and dedication of the Chief 
Warrant Officer Kenneth Black Exhibition Hall in Rockland, ME. This 
event represents the culmination of a lifetime of exceptional 
achievement by former Coastguardsman Kenneth Black who nearly single-
handedly amassed the largest collection of lighthouse lenses on display 
in a museum anywhere in the United States.
  The monumental efforts of Ken Black, known by many as ``Mr. 
Lighthouse,'' have been a lifelong pursuit and truly a labor of love. 
Ken started his first exhibit many years ago at the base of America's 
first light Station in Boston Harbor. When he was commanding officer of 
the Rockland Coast Guard Station in the 1970s, he created a display of 
artifacts at the entryway building at the base of the tower, and a 
small collection started to grow and take on a life of its own. So much 
so--that when the admiral in charge of the first Coast Guard district 
in Boston took note of what Ken was doing, he named him as the official 
curator of the First Coast Guard District Marine Exhibit. That 
appointment offered Ken a fortuitous opportunity to begin amassing 
lighthouse artifacts.
  Exemplifying the best of Maine's can-do spirit, Ken meticulously went 
to great lengths, literally piece by piece, to seek out, collect, and 
store these maritime marvels. Eventually, this collection would be 
housed in what would become known as the Shore Village Museum. Lacking 
pretense of any kind, this unassuming, home-spun dream became a 
landmark museum and a destination point for maritime and lighthouse 
enthusiasts everywhere until its closing in 2004.
  Because of Ken's persistent pursuit and uncommon initiative, his 
legacy of work can now be viewed as part of the Maine Lighthouse Museum 
which has the distinction of being home not just to the world-renown 
lighthouse lenses but also to one of the most revered exhibits of 
lighthouse artifacts and Coast Guard memorabilia in the United States. 
One thing is clear above all else, we owe Ken a great debt of gratitude 
for having the unrelenting industry, foresight, and diligence to 
collect, preserve, and showcase these artifacts.
  As the sponsor of the Maine Lights Program in the 104th Congress, I 
am extraordinarily proud of the indispensable contribution Ken has made 
to the discipline of lighthouse history. As I said in my letter on the 
opening of the Maine Lighthouse Museum last June, this legislation 
allowed many outstanding individuals and organizations to share their 
fondness for lighthouses by working to record the history of 
lighthouses and keep that history alive. And, indeed, that is precisely 
what has happened.
  Through the tireless and indomitable work of Kenneth Black, for whom 
this exhibition hall is rightfully named, generations today and to come 
will have the pleasure of viewing these time-honored artifacts. I saw 
them firsthand last summer when I toured the museum and was awed and 
extremely impressed, and I know that this new addition will be equally 
remarkable. For all of these reasons, I am deeply pleased to honor the 
astounding contributions that Ken has made toward bringing to greater 
light these valuable gems of history. I also want to acknowledge and 
thank the many individuals and groups who have shared in Ken's vision 
and joined with him in making this dream a reality. The city of 
Rockland and the State of Maine are incredibly fortunate to have this 
exceptional Lighthouse Museum in its midst. It is most fitting that the 
U.S. Coast Guard presented a well-deserved lifetime achievement award 
to Ken Black for unflagging vigilance and continued perseverance in 
saving and presenting these lighthouse artifacts.

                          ____________________