Lighthouse Preservation Society, Newburyport

For more than 30 years, The Lighthouse Preservation Society has worked to save and maintain the endangered lighthouses of the United States. The organization has spawned Congressional hearings and legislation sponsored National Lighthouse Day and aided in the creation of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act and the National Lighthouse Museum. The organization has also raised lighthouse awareness in the national consciousness, placing hundreds of lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places and landing the most scenic ones on popular U.S. Postage stamps. This is all in addition to the ongoing preservation efforts; to date, the organization has raised nearly $6 million for more than 160 lighthouse-restoration projects. It's little wonder that the nonprofit was chosen as a recipient of the prestigious Presidential Achievement Award for its efforts to maintain America's coastal heritage.

Even when a lighthouse guides its last ship, the organization keeps its spirit alive through creative adaptive reuse projects. They take special pride in their private dining program, headquartered in the Newburyport Lighthouse on Massachusetts' North Shore. Named the 'Most Romantic and Exclusive Dining' in the region by Boston's Phantom Gourmet for two consecutive years," and lauded by Yankee Magazine as a "glass-enclosed love nest," the intimate multicourse meals pair dishes from sea and land with views of the historic town harbor and picturesque beaches. The cozy circular room nestled at the top of the lighthouse retains its functional panoramic views, but also features comforts including padded benches, a dining table, a music system, and a climate control system. There's even an outdoor balcony, giving diners the chance to feel the ocean breezes from 60 feet in the air.