Au Sable Light Station, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: The Life of the Keepers as Reflected in their Official Journals

Clary, David

The keeper of a lighthouse on the Great Lakes hac to be a man who appreciated isolation and was willing to undertake an enormous burden of heavy labor. His station was his r~sponsibility; failure to keep it serviceable could threaten the property and the lives that passed by on the lake. In reviewing his burdens, the keeper had to recognize t:,at his most important and obvious responsibility--the lamp that must burn each night during the navigation season--accounted for only a small part of his work. He must maintain as well an extensive physical plant that included the light tower, quarters, a fog whi8tl~ and i~s housing, several utility structures, and a few acres of grounds. Far from the image of the sedentary philosopher who had only to watch the waves and ships go by, lighting his lamp once each evening, the keeper was a mechanic, carpenter, pain·ter, gardener, and roustabout who labored, often around the clock, seven days a week .. The keeper was also an administrator. chief of his station. He managed his accounts and the public property in his care, supervised one or more assistants, and kept his records religiously. One of those record~ Nas his journal, for which the Light House Service issued long and detailed requirements. With other burdens, the requirements for journals grew more demanding through the years. As reflected in the, journC'_ls of the Au Sable Light Station, a life that had its rewards was nonetheless a monotonous and arduous one. The bulk by far of the ink entered into t~e journals tersely indicated the weather of the day. Most of the remaining inscriptions logged the physical labor performed by the keeper 2nd his assistants. The almost unending litany of the routine points up the rarity of major events like shipwrecks and makes them seem more obvious and important than they were. If a wreek were not due to the failure of his station, a keeper migh: almost welcome the change of pace. But even the weather could break the routine, and when it diverteo from the normal, some keepers were drawn to comment beyond simple aeKllowledgmen-t. December 8, 1876, was such a day: A. M. South light brees cloudy Snowing and freezing. P. M. 5 oclock almost a hurricane frightfull Storm it olc\o/ dQ\-i;1 50 tI'ces or more close by "the light house and tO~Qr would blow down as they shouK like a leafe the wind was N. W. by West Snowing and freesing it was the wors: Sto~ln I ever Saw 011 lake Superior N. Beedon Keeper ]