Page 77 - Rukert - 100th Anniversary

PART II BRINGING THE WORLD TO BALTIMORE
dedicate the replica of the Lazaretto Lighthouse
to the memory of Norman Rukert Sr. A bronze plaque on the lighthouse door commemorates his “outstanding contribution to the Port of Baltimore and the maritime industry.” The event was attended by Congresswomen Helen Delich Bentley and Barbara Mikulski as well as Mayor Schaefer. Following speeches by the dignitaries and a cham- pagne christening, the lighthouse was officially dedicated. As the party continued and the sun set, guests were treated to a surprise and very close-up view of the reenactment of the bombardment of Fort McHenry in honor of Defender’s Day. The USS Hayler, a destroyer standing in for a British ship, began firing blank ammunition toward Fort
LEFT: During her time in Congress, Sen. Barbara Mikulski was a fierce advocate of the Port of Baltimore and Rukert Terminals. Illustration by Edward Ghee. www.gheetheartist.com
closer to the water. But the light from the tower was still obscured by nearby buildings, so in 1954, the Coast Guard decommissioned the light and disassembled the tower. For the first time in 123 years, no beacon glowed from Lazaretto Point. The four-acre parcel was sold to Lehigh Cement in 1962.
In the summer of 1985, Rukert Terminals constructed a replica of the Lazaretto Lighthouse at its Lazaretto Terminal, 50 feet from the site of the original. Geoff Brown from the Port
of Baltimore magazine noted that the replica “rises from the
concrete, oddly out of place and yet perfectly at home.”
The recreated lighthouse was dedicated to the memory of Norman Rukert Sr., who died in 1984. Since its reconstruction, the lighthouse has attracted regular attention and visits from community groups and lighthouse enthusiasts.
Three years after the lighthouse was dedicated, Kathi Davis mailed Norm Rukert Jr. a kerosene oiler that was used
to light the original beacon at Lazaretto. Ms. Davis’ grandfather, William H. Davis Jr., had been the keeper of the Lazaretto
Lighthouse from 1894-1925. Her father, Donald H. Davis, had been born in the keeper’s house in 1903. In failing health when the lighthouse was reconstructed, he was unable to see the replica for himself. Before his death in 1987, Mr. Davis asked his daughter to give the oiler to the Rukert family, in appreciation for rebuilding
the lighthouse. The brass can, now with a plaque noting its significance, is proudly displayed at Rukert Terminals.
ABOVE: Donated by the keeper, this kerosene oiler was used to light the original beacon at Lazaretto. The plaque reads “Presented to Norman G. Rukert Jr. with my gratitude for rebuilding my birthplace. Donald Hazen Davis Sr.
— Born Lazaretto Lighthouse Sept. 3, 1904.”
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