![]() Until 1899, the keepers could also walk to a small community known as Diamond City, located on Shackleford Banks. Some of the Cape Lookout keepers occupied themselves reading the books that were delivered with the weekly mail. Depression and alcoholism were common among keepers. The tedious workload and isolation could take its toll. That meant that some keepers might spend months at a time either away from their families or only seeing them on the weekends. This meant that children would either be homeschooled, some with old textbooks from Harkers Island Elementary, or they would live with their mothers or other relatives on the mainland during the school year. However, there were no schools on the island. ![]() Generally, the lighthouse keepers at Cape Lookout would be allowed to have their families with them on the island. ![]() Because they lived on an island, they did not fence the animals into a pen, but fenced them out of the gardens. Most of these families also kept livestock, such as cows, goats, sheep, chickens, and horses. And, the lighthouse, Keeper's Quarters, and support buildings would need to be periodically painted and repaired.ĭuring their time off, keepers still worked to provide for their families.ĭespite the sandy terrain, many keepers tended gardens to supplement their flour and food allotment. Keepers were also responsible for keeping detailed records of the oil and other supplies they received and used. These prisms as well as the lamps, reflectors, brass fittings, windows, and steps had to be cleaned every day. There were more than 1,000 glass prisms which composed the almost 8 foot tall First Order Fresnel (pronounced Frey-nell) lens used in the Cape Lookout lighthouse. This task earned Keepers the nickname "wickies." The lamp wicks had to be trimmed every four hours to prevent the burnt ends from producing smoke that would cover the glass lens, dimming the light. The keepers may have lightened their load by hauling the oil up the outside of the tower using ropes and horses. At Cape Lookout, two 5-gallon cans of whale oil or kerosene (weighing about 45 pounds each) had to be carried up the 216 steps to the lantern room at least once per day. Before electricity, oil was used to fuel the light. The light had to be burning from sunset to sunrise every day and during any daytime storms that obscured visibility. Keeping the light lit may seem like a simple task, but in reality there was a lot of work involved in maintaining a lighthouse. ![]() Sketch of a First Order Fresnel Lens in a lantern room. Later, additional housing would be built to accommodate the Keepers and their families. These three Keepers were housed in the 1812 Keeper's Quarters and 1812 Lighthouse. This allowed each Keeper to work one 24-hour period followed by two days off. Shortly before the second tower was completed, two Assistant Keepers were appointed to the Cape Lookout Light Station. In 1857, Congress appropriated money for the creation of a new lighthouse at Cape Lookout, which was completed two years later. Following the development of the Lighthouse Board, funding for the replacement and repair of lighthouses increased. Unfortunately, the light from this 107-foot tall tower only reached about 12 miles out to sea and complaints were soon made about the effectiveness of this lighthouse. A Keeper's Quarters was built near the light to house the Keeper and his family since he might be called upon at any time, in the event of a sudden storm, to light the light. As with most lighthouses, one Keeper was assigned to the station to maintain the light. The first Cape Lookout lighthouse was authorized by Congress in 1804 and completed in 1812. A comparison of the 1812 (left) and 1859 Cape Lookout lighthouses Cape Lookout Lighthouse(s)
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