Catskill High School students from Mrs. Doney’s Studio Art classes and Mrs. Segar’s English classes toured the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse at the invitation of the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society. Earlier, volunteers from the society had visited the classes to give a presentation about this 150-year-old piece of maritime history that sits in the Hudson River, right in our backyard.
Students enjoyed a boat ride out to the lighthouse and heard about the history of this endangered structure, which over the decades the river has begun to erode. Students toured each room and learned about the families who once lived there, from how they got their water and heat to how the children had to take a boat to school each day! Students climbed the spiral staircase to the lighthouse light and even got to ring the fog bell.
Prior to their visit, students learned about the lighthouse and plans for its restoration, and created artwork to represent their view of the lighthouse. In October, there will be an art show at the Athens Cultural Center focusing on the celebration of the 150th year of the lighthouse. Our students’ work will be on display with two other area schools, Hudson and Coxsackie-Athens. We look forward to being a part of this celebration!
