> The person would of course want to know

So would I!

> and of course be disappointed to find out it's essentially the credits for who built a lighthouse

I wouldn’t be disapointed. This is very exciting. We learn how many of them were there and what was important to them. For example they clearly had pride in finishing their work.

We can then ask the question who they were, how did they live? How did they got this job? Using their names we can go back in archives and find more about them. This is super exciting.

> yet tons of HN'ers are super mad at the insinuation that the letter ended up being more or less a waste

Because it is not a waste, that is why. If you can’t enjoy it as it is, bad for you.