Three houses built in 1909 housed the lighthouse keeper, his assistants, and their families by 1910. The keepers lived in these homes until the shipping season ended in December, then spent the winter in other homes until the season resumed in April. Families did not live here year-round until the early 1930s. The houses were sturdy, each with three layers of exterior brick walls and an air pocket for insulation, and each had an identical floor plan with three bedrooms, an indoor bathroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and a full basement. Although the houses were comfortable, the isolated setting brought hardships, including frozen pipes because the water system was above ground. Keepers often went down to the lake with a yoke and hatchet, cut through the ice, and carried back buckets of water for their homes.