It's Bill, 1/4/26: Out... In

Desmond Haskell
3 days ago
2 min read

Out With the Old, In With the New

Every year at midnight, December 31, out goes the Old Year, in comes the New Year. It’s the most universal holiday in the world. Everybody knows it; everybody celebrates wherever they are.

Our mindset is always the same. We are annual optimists; we always feel the next year has to be better than the previous year until the New Year becomes the Old Year. To strengthen our belief, we talk about how things are going to be better and what we are going to do to achieve our goals.

Man seated at a table raising a glass of champagne, with a plate of charcuterie and grapes in front of him inside a warmly lit room. — Bill, welcoming the New Year with a quiet toast, good food, and familiar comfort at home.

Looking Back at 2025

In 2025, we had two basic goals: complete Clark’s Folly Lighthouse and continue with It’s Bill. We have achieved those two goals and had fun doing it.

We also had two unanticipated, noteworthy projects. Approached by a local paving contractor, we repaved our parking area, doing away with 70 years of bumps, cracks, and disintegration, and replacing it with a smooth, continuous surface. A second unplanned project was the taking down of the windmill and replacing it with a modern 40-foot flagpole, with a large American flag at the top, and a Coast Guard flag and the Maine State flag flying from the yardarm. The three flags are proudly displayed and can be seen from everywhere on our five-acre campus.

Plans Taking Shape for 2026

We have active plans in place for two primary projects during 2026. Our focus is to enhance our existing property. Under the current ordinances, we are not able to further expand. During 2026, we will improve our existing property and grounds. But don’t be surprised if another project starts taking root… hm-m-m.

This spring, we will be erecting a cenotaph, a monument to someone who is buried elsewhere. There are four notable Revolutionary War veterans who are buried here in our Downeast Lubec area. I have always had a strong interest in George Washington and the Revolutionary War. It is important to honor these American patriots who came here for their final home.

The cenotaph will be a tapered, four-sided granite monument terminating in four points. It will sit on a square granite base with a final height of about 5½ feet. The cenotaph will be erected on a 30-foot diameter mound in front of the Office, overlooking the Crow’s Nest, Captain’s Table, and the Lubec Channel and Lighthouse (the Sparkplug). More details will be shared in future blogs.

Granite cenotaph monument standing in a local Lubec cemetery, with an American flag placed nearby on the grass. — A cenotaph in a local Lubec cemetery, honoring those buried elsewhere and remembered here.

Gardens and Grounds Ahead

Also, starting in the spring of 2026, we will expand and add to our 13 gardens. Our gardens will have more variety, character, and historic continuity to blend into West Quoddy Head’s unique environment. Traditional plantings will be featured throughout our grounds.

Newly planted garden bed beside a shingled building with a sign reading “Lighthouse,” bordered by logs and young plants. — One of the gardens at West Quoddy Station, planted with an eye toward growth, continuity, and the surrounding landscape.