History in a new light
Everything is illuminated at Bunker Hill obelisk
April 21, 2007
The bluish lights that have bathed the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge in a sapphire glow since 2002 had an unintended consequence. It made glaringly obvious the shortcomings of the floodlights that shone haphazardly on the 221-foot obelisk that has stood on nearby Bunker Hill since 1843.
Last night at sundown, officials threw the switch on a $100,000 new lighting system that will illuminate the monument with 76 color-corrected ceramic metal halide bulbs that range in strength from 70 to 150 watts. The precise, high-efficiency bulbs will wash the obelisk in varying intensities of light, highlighting the faces and lines of the monument, said Christopher H. Ripman, who designed the new system.
Commuters passing on nearby Interstate 93 at night will now be able to see the pyramid that caps the obelisk. "The new lighting will make this a gateway landmark as one approaches Boston from the north." Ripman said. "I think it will be a dramatic difference."
The lighting system, paid for with a donation from the firm Osram Sylvania of Danvers, is part of a $3.7 million restoration that includes handicapped-accessible ramps and a new museum.
The monument draws nearly 200,000 visitors a year and is one of the most popular stops on the Freedom Trail. On June 17, 1775, Bunker Hill was the site of the first major battle of the Revolutionary War.
But with the old floodlights, much of the light spilled into the night sky and bounced into the windows of nearby houses. The untrained light, which made the monument look flat, didn't even reach the tip of the obelisk.
"The monument was essentially cast in shadows, especially as the rest of the city around it glistened," said Sean Hennessey, public affairs officer for the National Park Service.
ANDREW RYAN
Link
Everything is illuminated at Bunker Hill obelisk
April 21, 2007
The bluish lights that have bathed the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge in a sapphire glow since 2002 had an unintended consequence. It made glaringly obvious the shortcomings of the floodlights that shone haphazardly on the 221-foot obelisk that has stood on nearby Bunker Hill since 1843.
Last night at sundown, officials threw the switch on a $100,000 new lighting system that will illuminate the monument with 76 color-corrected ceramic metal halide bulbs that range in strength from 70 to 150 watts. The precise, high-efficiency bulbs will wash the obelisk in varying intensities of light, highlighting the faces and lines of the monument, said Christopher H. Ripman, who designed the new system.
Commuters passing on nearby Interstate 93 at night will now be able to see the pyramid that caps the obelisk. "The new lighting will make this a gateway landmark as one approaches Boston from the north." Ripman said. "I think it will be a dramatic difference."
The lighting system, paid for with a donation from the firm Osram Sylvania of Danvers, is part of a $3.7 million restoration that includes handicapped-accessible ramps and a new museum.
The monument draws nearly 200,000 visitors a year and is one of the most popular stops on the Freedom Trail. On June 17, 1775, Bunker Hill was the site of the first major battle of the Revolutionary War.
But with the old floodlights, much of the light spilled into the night sky and bounced into the windows of nearby houses. The untrained light, which made the monument look flat, didn't even reach the tip of the obelisk.
"The monument was essentially cast in shadows, especially as the rest of the city around it glistened," said Sean Hennessey, public affairs officer for the National Park Service.
ANDREW RYAN
Link
