![]() Through the middle of the 19 th century, African Americans also commonly assisted the official keeper as a paid servant or as an enslaved person. Family members often contributed to the job in fact, there are many instances of women actively participating in their husbands’ duties, and of women who inherited the position of keeper upon the death or incapacity of a husband or a father, and then kept the position for many years or even for life. They lived in the quarters that were connected to a lighthouse or a house nearby. Many keepers were able to have their families with them at the lighthouse. 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. Information on volunteer opportunities for groups and internships is provided on the pages in this section.Most lighthouse keepers as we think of them were employees of the United States Lighthouse Service, founded in 1789. If you are interested in becoming a VIP, fill out an application (available on the website) and follow the directions on how to submit. For more information on these positions, please visit our Annual Volunteer Opportunities webpage. Some opportunities, such as the caretaker positions, require two people who are willing to work together. ![]() Volunteer opportunities are available for a wide range of time commitments – from a few hours to all summer – and schedules. The types of positions vary greatly and may include such activities as computer data entry, skilled and unskilled maintenance, trail trimming, beach clean-up, wildlife monitoring, exotic plant removal, greeting visitors at visitor centers, and environmental education assistance. Ever wanted to be treated as a VIP? You can be one at Cape Lookout National Seashore! Become a VIP by signing up for our VIP (that’s Volunteer-in-Parks) program.Įvery year Cape Lookout National Seashore VIPs from all walks of life volunteer their time and expertise to a variety of projects.Īs a VIP, you will work side-by-side with National Park Service rangers, biologists, and maintenance staff.
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