She’s regarded as a daring, professional, and bias-busting woman. The most well-known female lighthouse keeper has to be Ida Lewis. One of the most shocking job duties required of lightkeepers?Īnd one “wickie” woman would write her name in history for her bravery… Ida Lewis: “The Bravest Woman in America” Every lighthouse keeper, regardless of gender, was undertaking an occupation that came with many dangerous and unspoken responsibilities. Keeper, that his widow, if steady and respectable, should be appointed to succeed him.” Have, in order to effect that object as far as possible, recommend, on the death of a “ So necessary is it that the lights should be in the hands of experienced keepers, that I Stephen Pleasonton, a lighthouse administrator in the 1800’s, wrote of widowed female lightkeepers: Women could apply for this job as a single individual, but widowers of existing keepers were first-pick in the hiring process. It’s a unique job, allowing a woman to be paid for both for the domestic work they knew and the career work they learned on-site. However, given the era and the jobs available to women during this time? Becoming a lightkeeper wasn’t so bad. Others bring up the ever-present wealth disparity between men and women. Some studies mention keeper’s wives receiving equal pay to their husbands. Reports of pay equity vary in recorded history. For the first time in history, a “normal” working woman could hold a position equal to a man. This was a rarity for women during this time. What made this shift even more unique was it’s pay. Should a wife become widowed while working in a lighthouse, she was the natural successor to her husband’s position in the eyes of the government. So how did women come to the official position of light keeper? At first, through tragedy. This shift changed light keeping into a family affair. They often kept watch over the lighthouse in shifts with their spouse, as well as overseeing the wellbeing and education of their children. Keeper’s wives hold a place of reverence in their communities. Often, the wives were willing to contribute their unpaid labor to this unique and difficult occupation. So the government shifted its focus to hiring married men. However, the domestic upkeep of the lighthouse’s structure and living quarters wasn’t being done. Initially, lighthouses were staffed by a small crew of unmarried men. That meant a keeper’s job wasn’t just to keep the light on…but the lighthouse standing. The salt air, large waves, and impossible winds battered lighthouses- and their remote locations put them far from the minds of inspectors. The government couldn’t keep up with the constant repairs needed to maintain these buildings. Our modern romanticism of the solitary lives of lightkeepers would no doubt make any historic keeper laugh. Today, a break from technology seems like an introvert’s dream. “…consists of only two rooms about eleven feet square and a small entry, or passage, which leads to the lantern and to the cellar.” Lodgings attached to the lighthouse often reeked of smoke.ĭaniel Waite, a keeper in the early 1800’s, remarked that his lighthouse: This caused mold and damp to remain throughout every season. In the early days of lighthouse construction, keeper lodgings were cramped and ill-suited for large families. They’d tend the lighthouse as they raised their family at the edge of the world. When accompanied by wives, women found themselves sharing the responsibilities. Light keeping positions were primarily held by men. There was no “clocking out” at 5pm to head home to your family.Īway from peers, away from civilization- nothing but the sea and winds and the light. More than any other, the position of a light keeper is isolating.Ī lighthouse keeper was a 24/7 government employee. Here’s a glimpse into the life of a female lightkeeper- and what it was like to tend some of our nation’s most critical and difficult structures. As lighthouse keepers, women were paid the same and even supervised men in these rigorous positions.īut the job wasn’t easy, which makes the history of the female lightkeeper only more fantastic to tell. At this point, women were rarely permitted to make an income without a husband. This was a monumental “loophole” during a time of vast inequality. And strangely for the 1800s, it was a job title that both men and women were permitted to hold in equal measure. Prior to modern automation, light keeping required intense, hands-on tending to keep important shipping channels safe. While countless hard-working individuals devoted themselves to the solitary life of a light keeper- many were, unusually, women. They love the water, and I love the reverence of seeing these unique architectural pieces of our history around the coastlines.īut lighthouse history is also a part of women’s history. My favorite road trip destinations involve seeking out lighthouses.
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