Moose Peak Lighthouse (Mistake Island) Photo courtesy T.Bruce Jeffries and lighthousefriends.com. One day in 1905, the MacDonald brothers, both ministers, stood on top of Cadillac Mountain on Mount Desert Island, Maine. As they scanned the island-laden coastline, Alexander suddenly slapped his brother on the shoulder and exclaimed, “Angus, what a parish this would [...]
Boston Light on Little Brewster Island, MA, photo by Chuck Turk 300 is a big number. And it’s worth celebrating, Since this is my 300th post on this blog, it is a special anniversary for me. And fittingly, I get to share it with a lighthouse. Not just any lighthouse, but the first [...]
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse The Outer Banks, a string of islands off the coast of North Carolina, boasts a chain of lighthouses from the northernmost tip to the farthest south. The purpose of these lighthouses is to warn mariners of shifting shoals that are hazardous to ships. In fact, thousands of ships and [...]
American Shoal Lighthouse, Florida, photo courtesy lighthousefriends.com Lighthouses were not always the idyllic, romantic locations many have imagined them to be. Although some of us would welcome the peace and quiet of an isolated lighthouse, to many lighthouse keepers the solitude was depressing, boring and monotonous. Even when the keeper had a [...]
Libby Island Lighthouse, Maine Flash followed Keeper Gleason Colbeth everywhere. Keeper at Libby Island Light, Maine, Colbeth said his medium brown Irish setter was so intelligent she could almost talk. And being the devoted pet that she was, Flash never let her master out of her sight. If Colbeth went to the 1823 [...]
Cuttyhunk Lighthouse, MA, 1891, photo courtesy USCG Cuttyhunk Lighthouse, at the western end of Cuttyhunk Island, provided guiding light into both Buzzard’s Bay on one side and Vineyard Sound on the other. The two-mile-long island was home to lighthouse keepers and their families for many years, beginning in 1823. In 1911, Levi [...]
Start Point Lighthouse, Devon, UK Start Point is one of the most exposed peninsulas on the English Coast, running sharply almost a mile into the sea. The rugged, windswept headland was not a popular assignment for the families of lighthouse keepers sent to the 150-year-old lighthouse situated at the end. Winters seemed especially [...]
Eastern Point Lighthouse, Gloucester, MA, photo courtesy Kraig Anderson Massachusetts’ Gloucester Harbor is known as America’s oldest seaport, supporting fishermen, whalers, traders and even smugglers since 1616. The area is also known for its dangerous currents, ledges, and storms which claimed 779 vessels and 5,305 lives between 1830 and 1910. But another [...]
Casquets Lighthouse, UK, photo courtesy Trinity House Lighthouse keepers had a 24/7 job, but even they had free time, especially on stations where their families weren't allowed. When the sea was peaceful and the duties were done, what did a light keeper do with his time? Of course many lightkeepers liked to fish, [...]
Start Point Lighthouse, Devon, UK, source Wikipedia Commons, photo by Nilfanion Gordon knew it was only a matter of time before his occupation and his way of life would be gone. Trinity House, the governing body of lighthouses in the United Kingdom, had detailed to its lighthouse keepers the plans to automate [...]
Cats have been friends of mariners for centuries. They had an important job on ships – to keep the vessel free of rats and mice that not only ate food supplies, but gnawed through the ships’ ropes. Cats were also common along waterfronts where they controlled rodents in warehouses and helped clean up the remains [...]
McNab's Island Lighthouse on Maugher's Beach, Nova Scotia “No fair! Why do I have to do all the work?” Maybe you’ve heard this complaint before, but you wouldn’t have heard it from lighthouse keepers or their families. Lighthouse keeping wasn’t an easy lifestyle, but for lighthouse families, it was a busy, active [...]
Cuttyhunk Lighthouse, 1891, photo courtesy US Coast Guard In August, 1944, the family of Cuttyhunk, Massachusetts Lighthouse Keeper Octave Ponsart planned a joint birthday and beach party to celebrate the birthday of Uncle Gene and cousin Connie. Due to sugar rationing, Mrs. Ponsart spent weeks saving enough sugar to make birthday cakes for [...]
Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, photo courtesy US Coast Guard Terrible Tilly was not a good place to spend a holiday. Only one of the five lighthouse keepers assigned to Tillamook Rock Lighthouse would win the prime spot in the rotation to spend time with his family on Thanksgiving. The other four would have to [...]
Burnt Island Lighthouse, ME, photo by Bob Trapani, Jr. “Molly, the Andersons are coming over this afternoon.” “Yay!” Ten-year-old Molly jumped up and down. “I can’t wait to see Tommy!” Mother pointed her wooden spoon at Molly. “Well, you two stay out of trouble, if you can. We get to see their [...]
Two Bush Island Light, Maine, old postcard courtesy lighthousefriends.com March, 1902 “Woof! Woof!” What was that dog yapping about now? Keeper Altiverd Norton at Two Bush Island Lighthouse off the coast of Maine woke to the sound of his dog Smut’s bark. The dog was obviously excited about something. Was it a [...]