Keeper of the light fondly remembered

Grand Manan lost a valued member of the community on March 6 with the passing of Ken Ingersoll, a beloved lightkeeper who was the driving force behind the Swallowtail lighthouse restoration, along with his wife, Laurie Murison, who died in 2021. Born and raised on Grand Manan, he spent much of his early career at sea, working on deep‑sea salvage tugs until a serious back injury brought him ashore.

Ingersoll and Murison were founding members of the Swallowtail Keepers Society (SKS), beginning in 2008 when the village considered putting the property – except for the tower, which was still owned by the Coast Guard – up for sale. SKS came out of a community meeting with the couple leading the initial efforts to preserve this important part of the island's heritage. With a 25‑year‑lease from the village, they organized the first cleanup crews and then oversaw ongoing maintenance. Over time, the lighthouse tower became a museum with artifacts and interpretive displays on the history of Swallowtail and other island lighthouses. Outdoor signage, a gift shop, boardwalk, fog bell and cupola from Great Duck Island were added to the peninsula. The Coast Guard handed over ownership of the tower a few years later.

Long Eddy Lightstation, known locally as "The Whistle," came under SKS care as well, and although it isn't open for tours it bears a colourful and extensive interpretive sign of its own and overlooks a deck dedicated to Murison. Visitors and islanders alike enjoyed meeting Ingersoll at either light and hearing his stories.

Ingersoll's volunteer lightkeeping experience led to Coast Guard connections and an "official" lightkeeping job as a casual employee on Machias Seal Island, where he completed his first month‑long shift in January 2023. He enjoyed the peace of the remote location, watching the birds and the storms, taking weather observations and meeting university researchers who worked on the island in the summer.

Ingersoll's legacy to Swallowtail and the community was working to initiate the "Tending the Light" campaign, a fundraising effort to replace the weather-beaten 90‑year‑old shingles on the lighthouse and the siding on the keeper's house. He was a tireless spokesman for the project. The $300,000 campaign began in August 2022, but the budget and the urgency were both increased when the shingles were stripped off and more damage and rot were uncovered and some structural beams needed to be replaced. Ingersoll put much thought into the renovation materials; wanting to preserve the historic character of the lighthouse, he was initially reluctant to use vinyl siding. However, he found some approved by Heritage Canada could be expected to last decades, assuring the site's integrity for perhaps 50 years. His Coast Guard connections were essential to arranging the helicopter transportation of materials to the peninsula.

"Tending the Light" included a telethon hosted by CHCO‑TV that raised over $52,000, and the fund‑raising effort achieved its final goal of over $600,000, culminating in an opening ceremony held in August 2024 at the village office. At the time, Ingersoll said, "We'll never know how many lives that lighthouse has saved. When I can't get out there anymore, I know that it will still be standing."

Since 1982, Ingersoll was also "a huge part" of the Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station, of which Murison was the director. A museum statement says they "are extremely saddened" by the news of Ingersoll's passing. "Ken was a huge part of the research station for over four decades. Whether he was helping with something boat‑related, working on logistics for where we could land a dead whale, talking about lighthouses, checking in with people on the water via VHF or (so many of us will remember him this way) just sitting with you and drinking coffee while sharing a laugh, all of us have countless fond memories of Ken."

Mayor Bonnie Morse says, "The work he and Laurie did to preserve and improve Swallowtail and Long Eddy lighthouses have ensured that part of our island's heritage will be there for future generations of residents and visitors. We are better as a community for his (and Laurie's) efforts."

Friendly, approachable and always ready to chat about the lighthouses, Ingersoll was a humble man who considered his role an honour, credited Murison with much of the Swallowtail effort and likely wouldn't mention the recognition his own work had brought him, including a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in February 2023 and accolades from the Rotary Club in May 2024.

Among the many condolences posted on social media, Ingersoll's contributions to Grand Manan might best be summed up by one quote from an acquaintance, calling him "as bright a light as his beloved Swallowtail."

A Celebration of Life is planned for Sunday, July 26, with details to be announced.