Happy Fall from the St. George Lighthouse!

Happy Fall Lighthouse Friends,   Fall on SGI… undisturbed beaches, quiet restaurants, and SPOOKTACULAR fun! Read on for lighthouse updates, upcoming events, and a spooky tall tale featuring former lighthouse keeper, Alien (Allen) Smith.   The spring and summer were busy for us here on St. George Island. We’ve welcomed a record number of visitors this year thus far, hosting over 18,000 lighthouse climbers and nearly twice that number of folks visiting our museum and gift shop. As the kids head back to school, we welcome the slower pace and can’t wait for the cooler fall temperatures to arrive.   On May 9th, the St. George Lighthouse Association held our Annual Membership Meeting in Lighthouse Park. We welcomed over 35 of our members as well as our Board of Directors. During the meeting we bid farewell to three outgoing members of our Board - Susan Baldino, James Hargrove, and Karen Cummings. We thank them for their time, devotion, and dedication to the St. George Lighthouse Association and wish them all the best!   Additionally, the nomination and election of the SGLA Board Officers and Directors was held during the Annual Meeting. On behalf of our entire team, I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to this year’s slate of Officers and Board of Directors:   President – Cutler Edwards Vice-President – Drew Robertson Secretary/Treasurer – Kate Aguiar Chuck Lombardo- Director Pam Vest - Director Carol Talley – Director Dana Ingalls - Director Jane Kirk - Director   We look forward to working together to continue the success of the SGLA.   If you haven’t renewed your membership, please do so today. We count on your annual membership dues to help sustain our activities.   Thank you for your continued support!     Best Wishes,   Amy Hodson   Executive Director St. George Lighthouse Association

We are thrilled to introduce the newest additions to our Board of Directors: Carol Talley, Jane Kirk and Dana Ingalls. Each of these ladies brings a unique blend of expertise and vision that will undoubtedly strengthen our strategic direction and enhance our mission. Please join us in welcoming:

Carol Talley:   Carol has 31 years experience as a Customer Support Professional in the high-tech industry where she was recognized for managing high performing teams, documenting processes, and testing / troubleshooting software programs.  After her retirement from Hewlett-Packard Company, she started a new career in the retail industry where she worked for 16 years.  For 11 of those years, she served as the manager of the Cape St. George Lighthouse Gift Shop.  In her leisure time, Carol enjoys gardening, genealogy, research projects and hanging out with friends.

Jane Kirk   Jane comes from a family who loves St. George Island and has been visiting since the early 1980s. Eight years ago, she moved from East Tennessee to Franklin County to be closer to her sister who had lived on St. George Island for 20 years. Many of you may know Jane from her time with the St. George Plantation Owners’ Association where she worked in Owner Services and Communications. She recently retired from the Plantation and now devotes all her time to building her jewelry business, Worn by the Sea.   Besides her vast experience previously serving as a Buyer, Designer and General Manager in the furniture and interior design industry, Jane also served as the Marketing Director and Curator of the Museum of Appalachia, a 501(c) 3 organization in Norris, Tennessee.

Dana Ingalls   Dana is a Franklin County native, being born and raised in Apalachicola. She attended Florida State University where she obtained her degree in hospitality management. Dana returned to Franklin County to develop her career in vacation rental management. She served as the head of the vacation rental division of Prudential Resort Realty until December of 2005, when she and 4 other woman were able to purchase the vacation rental management department of Prudential Resort Realty, subsequently renamed Resort Vacation Properties of St. George Island. She and her partners built the largest and one of the most well-regarded management companies on St. George Island before selling the business in 2022. Dana is currently the co-owner of SGI Realty.

We look forward to the impact these ladies will undoubtedly make and are excited to embark on this journey together.

The Peculiar History of Lighthouse Keeper Alien (Allen) Smith of the Cape St. George Lighthouse

Alien Smith, the enigmatic figure tied to the Cape St. George Lighthouse, spins a tale that straddles the realms of history and folklore. “Alien” (Allen) Smith took up the post of lighthouse keeper in 1834, at a time when the coast was fraught with maritime dangers and mysteries.   Smith, an eccentric recluse, was known for his solitary nature and peculiar habits. His isolation fueled rumors among the locals, who whispered about his supposed encounters with otherworldly beings. Some claimed to have seen strange lights emanating from the lighthouse on moonless nights, while others swore they heard unearthly sounds echoing from its tower.   Despite the rumors swirling around him and his eccentricities, Smith was dedicated to his duty as keeper of the light. He diligently tended to the beacon, guiding ships safely through treacherous waters and earning the respect of sailors who relied on his steadfast vigilance.   But it was Smith's alleged interactions with extraterrestrial visitors that truly captured the imagination of those who heard his story. Legend has it that Smith was convinced the lighthouse was a focal point for otherworldly activity, and he allegedly claimed to have experienced strange phenomena during his time there. It was told that he would disappear for days at a time, returning with tales of encounters with beings from distant planets. Skeptics dismissed these stories as the ramblings of a madman, but believers saw them as proof of a connection between Smith and forces beyond the Earth.   As time passed, the truth of Alien Smith's experiences became increasingly obscured by the passage of time and the embellishments of storytellers. Some claimed he vanished without a trace, abducted by the very beings he claimed to communicate with. Others insisted he lived out his days in solitude, a solitary sentinel watching over the sea and the stars.   Regardless of the veracity of the tales surrounding him, Alien (Allen) Smith remains a captivating figure in the annals of lighthouse lore, his name forever linked to the mysterious beacon of Cape St. George Light.     Sources on Keeper Allen Smith: The U.S. Lighthouse Society Florida Lighthouse Association "Florida Lighthouses" by Kevin McCarthy Apalachicola Maritime Museum Florida State University Local Folklore

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