It was the keeper’s responsibility to paint the tower and dwelling each year and do minor repairs. He was allowed
to hire day labor if the job was a huge one. Do you think he would have needed help at Pensacola?
See the letter on Page 47 describing a keeper’s problems with day laborers.
At the top of the Pensacola tower the lantern has a walkway around it, as does the watchroom below it. Watchrooms were
needed in tall towers because a keeper needed to stay close enough to the lamp to tend it if it was not performing properly.
He would not have wanted to go up and down all those stairs every couple of hours and so would have stayed in the watchroom
throughout his shift.
Lighthouse Maps
Eighth Lighthouse District
Can you find Pensacola Lighthouse on this map?
Click on map to view larger image
Source: 1881 Annual Report of the U.S. Light-House Board
This Reader's Guide is intended to be used with Lighthouses Short and Tall, a book for readers 11 and up written by Mary Louise and Candace Clifford. It is available from the publisher,
Cypress Communications, by using their book order form.
