Throughout the history of lighthouses, keepers could not tend the light or clean the tower from top to bottom without climbing a set of stairs to reach the lantern. It was task that could be required a number of times per day and undertaken as just part of the job. If the lighthouse was a […]
A Tornado at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse
The following story appeared in the June 6, 1865 edition of The Portland Daily Press. James Mariner was the keeper of the Two Lights at Cape Elizabeth during this time. Mr. Mariner served as keeper of this light station from 1861 to 1869. At the time, the original 1828 east and west towers at Cape […]
Keeper Sounds Fog Bell by Hand for Two Nights
The following account appeared in the July 1933 Lighthouse Service Bulletin, which was issued monthly by the United States Lighthouse Service from 1912 to 1939… “Thomas L. Chase, keeper of Long Point Light Station, Provincetown, Mass., struck the thousand-pound fog bell by hand during two nights of fog, when the striking mechanism got out of […]
Three Vessels Ashore at Wood Island Light in One Day
The following news article entitled, “Perils of the Sea” appeared in the Portland Press Daily on December 27, 1872. Three vessels went ashore at Wood Island Light on Christmas Eve. The keeper at the time was Albert Norwood. The article read as follows: “Three vessels went ashore on Wood Island Tuesday the 24th. The schooner […]
A Keeper’s Letter from Whaleback Lighthouse
The following letter by an unnamed keeper at Whaleback Lighthouse in Kittery, Maine, appeared in the March 1957 issue of the Maine Coast Fisherman… “Well, here it is the end of January already, and the year is going by so fast that we here at Whaleback can scarcely believe it. In our last letter, I […]
Keeper Tasked with Marking Shipwreck
Lighthouse enthusiasts are quite familiar with the responsibilities of bygone lightkeepers. First and foremost, keepers were expected to maintain a good light each and every night, and during periods of poor visibility, ensure the fog signal was sounding its audible warning. Of course, maintaining the light station buildings in good condition was also a big […]
