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John B. Quidley in his lighthouse uniform. He was a keeper at Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout and Harbor Island in the early 1900's. |
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Charlotte A. Mason tended the Cape Lookout lighthouse in the early 1900's. There are numerous instances of women serving as keepers. |
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John W. Gillikin was the keeper of the Cape Lookout lighthouse from October 1923 to February 1925. |
Keepers worked 24 hours on and 48 hours off. The lighthouse operated from 4:00 p.m. until a little bit after dawn. During a storm like a hurricane or nor’easter the light had to be kept in operation continually.
Keepers did not live in the lighthouse, but did frequently camp in the upper rooms overnight. The Keeper’s Quarters were located near the base of the lighthouse.
After the 1880’s keepers wore dark blue wool dress uniforms or fatigues. The uniform had to be worn at all times on duty. A keeper could be fired for wearing the uniform improperly.
The Lighthouse Board provided housing,
staple foods, medicine, and a salary up to $800 per year.
What did keepers do?
Duties included:
• hand carrying fuel up to the
lantern room (201 steps!)
• fueling the lamp
• trimming the wicks, (later replacing
mantles and pumping the oil vaporizer)
• regularly cleaning and polishing
the glass chimney, lenses, and windows with jeweler’s rouge and whiting
• polishing brass fittings and
tools
• winding the light mechanism
• lighting and extinguishing the
light
• closing lantern room curtains
by day to prevent damage from sunlight and discoloration of the lens glass
• cleaning and lubricating the
gearbox
• painting the structure
• routine maintenance and repairs
of all the buildings
• greeting and lodging visitors
and inspectors
• writing reports
• keeping records
• ordering supplies
• monitoring the light and nearby
shipping at night
Who were the keepers?
Most keepers were men, but at Cape
Lookout there were two female keepers: Charlotte Mason and Emily Julia
Mason. A few of the Cape Lookout keepers are shown above.