By Bill Raack, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – A new lighthouse that has been 14 years in the making will have its debut tomorrow (Saturday) in Grafton, Illinois.
The lighthouse stands 47 feet tall and will illuminate the Grafton riverfront every night following its dedication tomorrow.
City officials included the lighthouse in their strategic recovery plan after the flood of 1993 damaged much of the Mississippi River town.
The Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau's Brett Stawar says area citizens and businesses donated the money to pay for the 62-thousand-dollar lighthouse, "The community of Grafton kind of rebounded and has totally revitalized into a great tourism destination and this lighthouse was kind of a symbol and visionary icon."
Stawar says that while Grafton suffers some flooding almost every year, the town has embraced its river heritage and uses it to attract tourists.