The typical image of a lighthouse keeper is a solitary, grizzled white man in a rain slicker, but the reality was more complex. This document included instructions for keeping the lighthouse in working order and emergency response, but also instructions about matters of daily life, including standards of conduct and the required use of the official Lighthouse Service uniform. Starting in the 19 th century, the Lighthouse Service periodically provided guidance and requirements for its employees, such as the 1927 Instructions to Employees of the United States Lighthouse Service. During severe storms, the light had to be kept in operation 24 hours a day until the storm was over. The most obvious part of the keeper’s duties was to keep the light operating according to the daily schedule, which would vary from station to station, depending on geographic location, typical weather conditions, and other factors. Although a keeper was responsible for making repairs and well as other routine duties, each one also had to be prepared to respond to emergencies, including shipwrecks. Typically, the keeper’s day began before dawn and ended well past dusk. Coast Guard took over responsibility in 1939.Ī keeper’s job was not quite a 24-hour job, but it could be. The care of the nation’s lighthouses moved from agency to agency until 1910, when Congress created the Bureau of Lighthouses. Lighthouse keepers became civil service employees in 1896. Keepers at first worked under the authority of a local Collector of Customs, though the Collector’s role declined over time as the business of maintaining lighthouses became more professionalized. The Service was the first Public Works Act of the first United States Congress it authorized the transfer of existing lighthouses from the jurisdiction of individual states to the federal government. For visitors who can make it to the top of the lighthouse, a signed card awaits them t-shirts with Grover’s face are also available in the gift shop.Most lighthouse keepers as we think of them were employees of the United States Lighthouse Service, founded in 1789. The article also documents parts of his weekly routine, including counting the steps in Spanish - something that he told the reports serves a dual purpose: mental acuity and reminding him to take his time. After her death, he became involved in volunteering - both at the lighthouse and, for a time, Boardwalk Hall. He’s a longtime resident of Atlantic City, and spent 22 years working as a postal carrier before traveling the world with his wife. And for his part, Grover has been making the walk every week since he was 82.Ī new article at NJ.com delves into Grover’s own history and how he came to be involved with the lighthouse. The lighthouse has a few notable features - it’s the tallest lighthouse in the state and the third tallest in the country. Grover is a volunteer lighthouse keeper at the Absecon Lighthouse, located in southern New Jersey. How does the prospect of climbing 228 steps - the equivalent of 17 stories - on a winding staircase to the top of a historic lighthouse sound? I’ll be honest - I would describe this as “daunting,” and I’m less than half as old as Buddy Grover, 94 years of age, who makes this trip every week as part of his everyday duties.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |