2006/2007: Great Lakes Lighthouse Project Helps Beacon's Beauty Shine
JELD-WEN Helps Preserve Historic Wind Point Lighthouse in Racine, Wis.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. October 22, 2007 — KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – After months of planning and preparation, historic Wind Point Lighthouse near Racine, Wis., is ready to open its new door to visitors this fall.

A winner of the JELD-WEN Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative, Wind Point has undergone an extensive restoration to help preserve the structure for many years to come.

Through JELD-WEN’s extensive selection process, an outpouring of public support for Wind Point Lighthouse helped prove the need for restoring this noteworthy landmark. In fact, the adjacent building and gardens are in many ways the heart of the Village of Wind Point, with an active community center, police station, a small museum and the living quarters for the lighthouse caretakers. It’s the scene of public events and festivals. Private rentals generate revenue for the Village. And periodically the Friends of Wind Point host tours to raise funds for restoration.

Classic details restored
Since 1880, Wind Point has battled the storms of Lake Michigan. Severe weather had taken its toll and the lighthouse was in desperate need of a facelift. Standing at 108 feet, its windows and doors are often subject to gale-force winds. To help strengthen the building overall, nine windows and one door were replaced to restore the historic style and incorporate the latest technology, improve its energy efficiency and bring back the lighthouse’s original glory.

Prior to the restoration, many of the windows began to show their age and were boarded up in an effort to preserve the structure, which caused the original architectural detail to be lost. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and built in 1880, Wind Point is one of many Great Lakes lighthouses designed by noted architect Orlando Poe. Since none of the original windows and doors remained and detailed drawings or photos of the lighthouse were scarce, JELD-WEN helped research other Poe lighthouses on the Great Lakes to determine the design of the original windows and doors.

“Restoring the architectural beauty of Wind Point was important throughout our planning process,” said Joyce Richter, JELD-WEN lighthouse project manager. “JELD-WEN’s architectural consultants and product experts considered which of our classic window and door designs and features would best protect the lighthouse so that it will remain beautiful for many years to come.”

Style and performance combined
The styles of the windows and doors are classic, yet the technology is the most advanced on the market today. At the top of the tower, historically appropriate JELD-WEN® Custom Clad-Wood windows with radius tops provide stunning views, while the rest of the lighthouse is punctuated by rectangular fixed and awning windows to offer protection and beauty. To preserve the original frame of the deteriorating window in the entryway connecting the tower with the caretaker’s cottage, a JELD-WEN SashPack® replacement window was an easy-to-install solution.

To resist the harsh weather, the windows are made with JELD-WEN’s revolutionary AuraLast the worry-free wood®, a water-based wood preservation process that provides a 20-year warranty against wood decay and insect infestation. The exteriors are covered with a dark green exterior aluminum cladding with the industry-leading commercial paint finish for additional protection and ease of maintenance. The windows are also insulated with Low-E glass, helping the lighthouse stay warmer in the winter and cooler during the summer.

After the lighthouse’s original exterior door deteriorated, a modern door was installed in its place. To bring back the lighthouse’s historic design and style, JELD-WEN replaced the common six-panel door with a classic four-panel Custom Fiberglass door reminiscent of the late 19th century. The door’s state-of-the-art fiberglass technology enables it to closely resemble the look and feel of real wood, yet it requires less maintenance and can withstand the harsh weather of Lake Michigan.

“Wind Point is a beloved landmark and an important part of American lighthouse history,” said William Schalk, president of the Wind Point Village Board of Trustees. “The new windows and doors make a major impact in restoring the original beauty and performance of the lighthouse. More than 20,000 visitors come to the lighthouse each year, and we’re sure they will appreciate seeing its transformation as much as we have.”

The lighthouse is scheduled to reopen to public visitors in Spring 2008 once restoration efforts are complete, including painting and refurbishing the brick and mortar structure.

Earlier this year, the JELD-WEN Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative also donated new AuraLast® wood windows and fiberglass doors to Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse on Chesapeake Bay. Last summer, this lighthouse, built in 1875, opened for public tours for the first time in its 132-year history.

Media interested in touring the restored Wind Point Lighthouse before it opens to the public, please contact Stefanie Stockton at JELD-WEN@cmdagency.com or 503-274-7006.

About JELD-WEN
JELD-WEN, inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of reliable windows and doors. Based in Klamath Falls, Ore., JELD-WEN began as a small Oregon millwork plant in 1960 and has grown into a company with nearly 150 divisions and more than 20,000 employees worldwide. JELD-WEN is the official window, door and millwork provider of the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour, Proud Partner of THE PLAYERS and title sponsor of the JELD-WEN Tradition. Since 1998, JELD-WEN has been an ENERGY STAR® Partner with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. Eleven JELD-WEN® product lines and all windows and doors constructed with AuraLast® wood have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal. JELD-WEN® windows and doors have been honored by numerous consumer and industry publications. In 2005, JELD-WEN® Custom Fiberglass exterior doors received a Consumers Digest Best Buy rating.

For more information about the exceptional value and reliability of JELD-WEN products, or to find a dealer near you, please visit www.jeld-wen.com or call 800-877-9482, ext. PR036.