Kate Walker here, keeping the light on Robbins Reef. Sometimes differences between keepers led to fist fights. On February 6, 1874, the Inspector of the 1st Lighthouse District informed the Board that during a difficulty brought on by his own conduct, Mr Nathaniel Bowden, 1st Assistant Keeper at Saddleback Ledge, Maine, attacked the keeper of… Continue reading Kate’s Corner #50

Kate Walker here, keeping the light on Robbins Reef. We sit to one side of the busiest harbor in the world so we have no trouble enlisting help. Inspector Snow, however, told me about problems with lighthouses in remote locations. Florida Indians found isolated lighthouses easy targets for attack. Cape Florida Light Station was totally… Continue reading Kate’s Corner #49

Kate Walker here, keeping the light on Robbins Reef. Family members often succeeded keepers who died, as my son succeeded me. Three women kept the Point Lookout Light Station in Maryland: Ann Donahoo 1830-1847, Martha A. Edwards 1852-1855, and Martha’s daughter Pamelia Edwards 1855-1869. In 1863 Esther O’Neill replaced her deceased husband John as keeper… Continue reading Kate’s Corner #48

Kate Walker here, keeping the light on Robbins Reef. The possibility of tragedy was never far from a keeper’s mind, especially in heavy weather. A serious accident occurred in 1884. The 4th District Inspector wrote the Chairman of the Light-House Board that “Henry Stevens, a seaman on board Lightship No. 40 on Five Fathom Bank,… Continue reading Kate’s Corner #47

Kate Walker here, keeping the light on Robbins Reef. Much excitement here. The United States Lighthouse Society has announced the arrival of the J. Candace Clifford Lighthouse Research Catalog. We all knew that Candace and Tom Wheeler were creating the software for it when she died. As soon as I heard the good news, I… Continue reading Kate’s Corner #46

Kate Walker here, keeping the light on Robbins Reef. Mine is a harbor light with a 4th-order Fresnel lens. Small harbors have small harbor lights. New London Ledge Light had a 4th-order lens in a small lantern, along with a fog signal, but the building itself was very solidly built. In January 1906 Congress appropriated… Continue reading Kate’s Corner #45

Kate Walker here, keeping the light on Robbins Reef. Some light keepers were simply not suited to the 24/7/365 schedule and the work involved. Letter from S. C. Rowan, 4th District Inspector, to Chairman, Light-House Board, Aug 15, 1884: Herewith I enclose a report from Mr. A. G. Wolf, Keeper of Absecon Light House, in… Continue reading Kate’s Corner #44

Kate Walker here, keeping the light on Robbins Reef. Bathrooms with flush toilets were innovations of the 20th century. Before 1900 most lighthouse families had to use outhouses or privies. We had an outhouse attached to the side of the stone base of our lighthouse, with the water below serving as the sewer. People thought… Continue reading Kate’s Corner #43

Kate Walker here, keeping the light on Robbins Reef. Women kept the light at Turkey Point in Maryland longer than at any other station on Chesapeake Bay. Only 38 feet tall, the tower’s location on a bluff at the southern tip of Elk Neck was 100 feet above the bay, making the light visible for… Continue reading Kate’s Corner #42

Kate Walker here, keeping the light on Robbins Reef. One could write a whole book about hurricanes, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico. In October 1867 a hurricane sheared off the legs of the screwpile tower at Shell Keys and the ironwork toppled. The only keeper on board was Seth Jones. His body was never… Continue reading Kate’s Corner #41