When a person glances at the wondrous Chesapeake Bay, it is very easy to see that it is much greater than just a large body of water. It exemplifies complex beauty, but it is very dangerous. The Bay is still miles and miles of dark water. Surges in the tide are common and horrible storms can hit instantaneously. Yet, plenty of ships navigate the water safely every year. With the help of the technology, Chesapeake Bay lighthouses guide ships through the water and have been doing so since colonial times.
From the wooden colonial vessels to the huge cargo vessels we use today, our interaction with the bay has been mostly through commerce and transportation. Buoys and signal fires on the rocks were the first type of navigational aids but were quite unreliable.
As merchants began to use the bay more due to our dependence on commerce, better navigational aids were needed. The plan involved the building of lighthouses. At Cape Henry, in 1792, the entrance of the bay was lit by the first ever lighthouse.
Around the beginning of the nineteenth century, the construction of lighthouses was rapid in order to keep pace with new technology and growing commerce. A large number of lighthouses decorated the eastern and western shores where they guided ships and assisted fishermen. By the early part of the twentieth century these monuments of light lit the way and guided vessels through the dangerous waters.
Keeping a lighthouse was often a lonely job which required commitment and determination. Before there was such a thing as electricity, the keeper lugged cans of oil up narrow and steep stairs to keep the lanterns burning night and day, in all kinds of weather. The lanterns and the lamps needed to be constantly maintained as well. The keepers also needed to keep a rigorous record keeping schedule that documented the operation of the lighthouse.
Lighthouse keeping was a dangerous job. At times, it meant putting your own life in danger in order to save someone else's. Although it happened often, one of the most evident instances of the dangers was when the keepers of the Thimble Shoal house almost died when a schooner crashed through the lighthouse. Their coal burning stove was overturned in the process and set their living quarters on fire. They barely escaped.
For decades, lighthouse keeping was strictly a man's job. No one felt that a woman could do it. It was thought to be too much of a strain on a female. Yet, there were a few able bodied women who proved strong enough to handle the daily tasks. One of the most famous was the Turkey Point lighthouse keeper. Her name was Fanny Salter and she kept the lighthouse for more than twenty years. When she retired in 1947, she became known as the last woman lighthouse keeper in the nation.
When the twentieth century rolled in, the Chesapeake Bay lighthouses had to adjust to the changes in time and technology. Electricity replaced dangerous kerosene and oil. The lighthouses become fully automated and keepers were no longer needed. At one time there were at least seventy-four lights lining the shores of the bay. These days, the number has been reduced to less than half that amount. However, of the thirty that are still standing, twenty-three are still operational and continue to serve as navigational aids and tourist attractions.
From the wooden colonial vessels to the huge cargo vessels we use today, our interaction with the bay has been mostly through commerce and transportation. Buoys and signal fires on the rocks were the first type of navigational aids but were quite unreliable.
As merchants began to use the bay more due to our dependence on commerce, better navigational aids were needed. The plan involved the building of lighthouses. At Cape Henry, in 1792, the entrance of the bay was lit by the first ever lighthouse.
Around the beginning of the nineteenth century, the construction of lighthouses was rapid in order to keep pace with new technology and growing commerce. A large number of lighthouses decorated the eastern and western shores where they guided ships and assisted fishermen. By the early part of the twentieth century these monuments of light lit the way and guided vessels through the dangerous waters.
Keeping a lighthouse was often a lonely job which required commitment and determination. Before there was such a thing as electricity, the keeper lugged cans of oil up narrow and steep stairs to keep the lanterns burning night and day, in all kinds of weather. The lanterns and the lamps needed to be constantly maintained as well. The keepers also needed to keep a rigorous record keeping schedule that documented the operation of the lighthouse.
Lighthouse keeping was a dangerous job. At times, it meant putting your own life in danger in order to save someone else's. Although it happened often, one of the most evident instances of the dangers was when the keepers of the Thimble Shoal house almost died when a schooner crashed through the lighthouse. Their coal burning stove was overturned in the process and set their living quarters on fire. They barely escaped.
For decades, lighthouse keeping was strictly a man's job. No one felt that a woman could do it. It was thought to be too much of a strain on a female. Yet, there were a few able bodied women who proved strong enough to handle the daily tasks. One of the most famous was the Turkey Point lighthouse keeper. Her name was Fanny Salter and she kept the lighthouse for more than twenty years. When she retired in 1947, she became known as the last woman lighthouse keeper in the nation.
When the twentieth century rolled in, the Chesapeake Bay lighthouses had to adjust to the changes in time and technology. Electricity replaced dangerous kerosene and oil. The lighthouses become fully automated and keepers were no longer needed. At one time there were at least seventy-four lights lining the shores of the bay. These days, the number has been reduced to less than half that amount. However, of the thirty that are still standing, twenty-three are still operational and continue to serve as navigational aids and tourist attractions.
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