Marvin Bubie, noted researcher and author of On the Trail of Henry Hudson and Our Dutch Heritage Through the Municipal Seals in New York and Celebrating the American Revolution: Municipal Symbols of a Free Country, has released his latest work, Seals and Stories of America’s Lighthouse Heritage. The book explores a new intersection of art, history, and civic identity through municipal seals that feature one of America’s most enduring symbols: the lighthouse.
Bubie’s latest book focuses on the towns and cities across the United States that have chosen to feature lighthouses on their official seals. In doing so, he captures not only their visual representations but also the stories of local pride and maritime tradition that these images embody. The book documents how communities have rallied to save lighthouses threatened by neglect or technological redundancy, turning them into historical landmarks and cultural touchstones.
In his comprehensive research, Bubie also traces the technological evolution of lighthouse illumination from whale oil and kerosene to electricity and the transformation of these maritime sentinels from essential navigational beacons to historical relics in the age of GPS. Today, many of these once-critical towers serve as tourist attractions.
When asked what inspired this compilation, Bubie explained, “Mankind has always been interested in stories. Seals and symbols tell a story without words. They have to be decoded. I find all of this fascinating and I believe others will find it fascinating as well. I enjoy the process of searching for seals on a specific subject and then compiling similar stories to tell the larger story, even an epic story from the local perspective rather than from the 10,000-foot level that textbooks tell in a dry manner. Interesting details get lost in textbooks.”
Indeed, Bubie’s work highlights the often-overlooked narratives behind civic symbols, stories of communities shaped by the sea, bound by heritage, and united in efforts to preserve the tangible markers of their past. Bubie offers a rare, localized view of American history told through imagery rather than text.
Seals and Stories of America’s Lighthouse Heritage is now available for purchase on Amazon.
About the Author
Marvin Bubie was born and raised in Upstate New York, graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is retired from General Electric and is a Vietnam Era Army Veteran.
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