The Pentwater Arts Council and Pentwater Historical Society are pleased to announce that The Lamplighter, a 2024-2025 Pentwater Arts Council Sculpture Walk selection, will become a permanent display at the Pentwater Historical Museum, 85 South Rutledge, Pentwater where it currently resides.
A generous donation from an anonymous family has made the purchase of this popular sculpture as a gift to the Pentwater Historical Society possible. According to PHS President Dick Warner, “The Lamplighter enhances the beauty and interest of the museum’s historic building. Collaborating with the Pentwater Arts Council and other local organizations and businesses is a valued aspect of the Pentwater community and Oceana County.”
Michigan artists, Tyler and Ashley Voorhees describe their piece, The Lamplighter, as “a sculpture harkening back to the early days when streets of most towns and cities were lit by gas lamps. By means of long poles, ladders, and even tall bikes, these lamps had to be lit each night as dusk turned to darkness. Lamplighters provided not only light but also safety in their communities. More than just a job, these harbingers of light represent a way of life: illuminating darkness. We all carry light within us and The Lamplighter symbolizes a collective connection to spread that light is a reminder of eras past.”
A formal dedication of The Lamplighter at the Pentwater Historical Society Museum will take place in early summer with date to follow. Follow the websites pentwaterartscouncil.org and https://pentwaterhistoricalsociety.org/ for The Lamplighter sculpture dedication information. To help us ensure that the arts and humanities will continue to thrive in Pentwater and Oceana County donations can be made via their websites.
The Historical Society is in the early stages of planning an expansion to the museum, and updating the features of the museum to make it a community resource and destination for both residents and visitors. For more information email the Pentwater Historical Society at info@pentwaterhistoricalsociety.org.
