Hundreds of American women have kept the lamps burning in lighthouses since Hannah Thomas tended Gurnet Point Light in
Plymouth, Massachusetts, while her husband was away fighting in the War for Independence. Women Who Kept the Lights details
the careers of 30 intrepid women who were official keepers of light stations on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific Coasts, on
Lake Champlain and the Great Lakes, staying at their posts for periods ranging from a few years to half a century. Most of
these women served in the 19th century, when the keeper lit a number of lamps in the tower at dusk, replenished their fuel
or replaced them at midnight, and every morning polished the lamps and lanterns to keep their lights shining brightly.
Several of these stalwart women were commended for their courage in remaining at their posts through severe storms and
hurricanes. A few went to the rescue of seamen when ships capsized or were wrecked. Their varied stories are brought together
here for the first time, drawing a multifaceted picture of a unique profession in our maritime history.
Table of Contents
Excerpt on Ida Lewis
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| Keeper instructions given to Barbara Mabrity at Key West Lighthouse in 1848 |
Book Information
Women Who Kept the Lights, written by Mary Louise Clifford and J. Candace Clifford, is 242 pages; 7 X 9 inches; available in both softcover and hardcover; and includes
83 illustrations, an appendix listing 141 official female lighthouse keeper appointments, a bibliography, and an index (ISBN:
09636412-4-7, softcover, list price $22.95; ISBN 09636412-5-5, hardcover, list price $32.95). NOTE: Special web price on hardcover edition--$25.95 for prepaid check orders.
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