Keepers Duties

Keepers at the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse carried out demanding daily work that included hand-carrying fuel to the lantern room and fueling the lamp, trimming wicks and later replacing mantles and pumping up the oil vaporizer, cleaning and polishing the glass chimney, lenses, windows, brass fittings, and tools, cranking and releasing the weight when lighting the lamp at night, lighting and extinguishing the lamp, monitoring the light and nearby shipping at night, closing the lantern room curtains by day to protect the lens glass, cleaning and lubricating the clockwork, painting the structure, performing routine maintenance and repairs on all buildings, greeting and sometimes lodging visitors and inspectors, and writing reports, keeping records, and ordering supplies. From 1829 to 1940, 19 keepers served at the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse. In 1870, increased responsibilities led the Lighthouse Service to authorize an assistant keeper. In 1873, the Keepers Duplex was built to house the keeper, an assistant keeper, and their families, and in 1932 another keepers dwelling, the smaller house south of the Duplex, was built.

Port Huron, Michigan · United States