A Keeper's Work Was Never Done

By modern standards, a lighthouse keeper’s regular routine was monotonous, but it was sometimes interrupted by unexpected drama, as when lightning struck the office and storeroom building at Yaquina Head on October 18, 1920, tearing off the copper, lead, and shingles where the roof joined the tower. By 10 a.m. every day, the lighthouse lamp was refueled and its five wicks trimmed, and throughout the day the lens and windows were cleaned and repairs were made to keep everything shipshape. At dusk the lamp was lit and then watched from the watchroom until sunrise. Keepers also greeted tourists, worked on the road, submitted to surprise inspections that could come about four times each year and included scrutiny of the house, painted the watchroom, brackets, and tower, prepared scaffolding, mixed paint, and aided victims of shipwrecks, including sending the second assistant to Newport for a tug and giving ashore survivors necessary assistance and every comfort in their power.

Newport, Oregon · United States