Posted by BIDDING WAR IGNITED FOR HISTORIC RAM ISLAND LEDGE LIGHTHOUSE
Social Network Community Project Still Hopes for Unique People’s Option
September 9, 2010, Brunswick, ME – The United States Government Services Administration auction of the Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse, Portland Harbor in Cape Elizabeth, has ignited into a bidding war. The intensity of the auction has “nearly doubled the anticipated sales price,” according to Robert Muller, the Executive Director of Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse Community.
Muller continued, “The last bid this morning by a local surgeon upped the ante’ to $170,000. There are three bidders really driving this, two from Maine and one from the Dartmouth, New Hampshire area with the alias, Tugdoctor. Who knows how high this will go, but it makes it tough for our organization to compete.”
The lighthouse’s auction has received an unusually high degree of attention due to the public outreach efforts of the Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse Community, a socially networked organization. They have been attempting to crowd source the funding of the light as a people’s option, one where members actively engage through the internet in the operation of and education about this iconic maritime property. Muller said that, “Given the unanticipated bid level now reached, the organization hopes to partner with the winning bidder. Maybe we can convince him or her to adopt our transparent public management model.”
The lighthouse, operating since 1905, has been put up for auction bid by the United States Coast Guard. It has major historical and navigation importance to the maritime community. Still a valued aid to navigation, the Coast Guard will continue to serve its navigational operation while the winning bidder will maintain the property under National Historic Registry Guidelines.
About The Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse Community: An innovative for-profit preservation and conservation organization, it brings together socially networked communities of common interest to own, protect and steward treasured lands and sites of historical and cultural significance. Community members adopt an active voice through an interactive online presence and through persistent live internet feeds. Members together help determine the future of a property and build shared knowledge and experiences about all aspects including ecology, history, culture and local economy. To learn more visit: http://www.ramislandlighthouse.com
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If you would like more information or to schedule an interview with Robert Muller, please contact him at +1 (207) 956-0699 or bmuller@RamIslandLighthouse.com
