By Kris Goracke

Reporter

In May 2022, a powerful storm hit Starbuck, and the long-standing Starbuck Marina Lighthouse, weathered by time, couldn’t withstand it. Built in 1982 by Harold Meyer, the wooden lighthouse had guided boats safely to the marina for decades, enduring harsh Minnesota winters and summer storms. However, the storm proved too much, and the lighthouse collapsed into Lake Minnewaska, leaving only memories of its light.

The original lighthouse was a tribute to resilience, modeled after a structure destroyed by Hurricane Camille. Its’ simple design—a wooden tower supported by telephone poles—had stood proudly as a local landmark at the mouth of the Starbuck Marina. When the lighthouse fell, the call to replace it was swift. Over the next two years, the city considered various locations, designs, and costs, eventually rebuilding it on the marina’s south side.

Dennis Lawson and his nephews, Jim Moffat and Geoff Moffat, took on the project. The lighthouse held special significance for them, as their grandfather and great-grandfather, Harold Meyer, had built the original. “I was visiting my mother when she got a call from a high school classmate in Starbuck telling her the lighthouse had been destroyed,” Lawson recalled. “Without thinking much about it, I said, ‘Maybe I’ll rebuild it.’ That was the end of the conversation, and I didn’t give it another thought.”

“The next time I was visiting my mother, she told me to expect a phone call from the mayor of Starbuck.  It turns out my uncle Howard is a classmate of Gary Swenson.  My mother had told her brother, Howard, that I was interested in rebuilding the lighthouse.  And Howard, in turn, had told Gary,” said Lawson.

“I got the phone call from Gary, and we talked about possibly rebuilding the lighthouse. Gary said the city would pay for the materials if we built it. And so, I enlisted the help of my two nephews and we began the project.  Jim, a carpenter by trade, designed the lighthouse, got quotes for materials, and is the brain behind the project,” explained Lawson.

For several weekends, Lawson, Jim, and Geoff worked on the lighthouse at Geoff’s home, which had plenty of space for the construction. Once it was finished, they waited for word from the city that the site was ready.

On the morning of Friday, Sept. 20, two flatbed trailers arrived at the Starbuck Marina to transport and assemble the 28-foot lighthouse. The new structure is designed to be low-maintenance and features a tin roof and cement board siding. “It’s been a fun project,” Lawson said, “The community has been supportive. All weekend, people stopped by to watch and chat.”

The rebuilding of the lighthouse was truly a community effort. The Starbuck VFW Auxiliary dedicated its annual cash party fundraiser to the project, with all proceeds supporting the rebuilding effort. David Dodds volunteered his labor for the cement work on the lighthouse pad, and several community members contributed to the cause, including Mark and Karen Thompson and David and Colleen Johnsrud.

The total cost of the lighthouse is $85,795. Of that, $25,532 came from FEMA, $25,687 from the League of Minnesota Cities, $12,719 from the Starbuck Men’s Veterans Auxiliary, and a $10,000 matching donation from Hanson Communications.

With the lighthouse now standing tall once again, the only remaining task is installing the LED light, which is expected in the coming weeks. Thanks to the community’s collective efforts, the Starbuck Marina Lighthouse has been resurrected—a testament to the town’s resilience and unity.