North Head Lighthouse keepers maintained the North Head Lighthouse from 1898 until its automation in 1961. Keeping the light burning 365 days a year was arduous, repetitive work. Keepers carried gallons of oil up the narrow, winding staircase every day to keep the light burning. They regularly trimmed the five wicks and adjusted the flame heights and ventilation. The most time-consuming task was cleaning the Fresnel lens, which required daily polishing with a soft rag. Every two months, the keepers polished the lens with wine to ensure a brightly shining light. North Head Lighthouse had a Head Keeper, First Assistant, and Second Assistant, all employees of the United States Lighthouse Service, which mandated strict regulations related to cleanliness and maintenance of the lighthouse and residences. In this remote location, the keepers and their families lived self-sustaining lifestyles. Because services and supplies were lacking, families on North Head planted large gardens and tended chickens to help provide enough food for the year. Completed in 1898, the lighthouse was needed to guide mariners approaching from the north who could not see the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and to warn ships of the shallow waters at the mouth of the Columbia River.