If a heavy fog would roll over the lake and the light could not cut through the vapor, the sound from a fog bell was used to guide ships passing by. The keeper would be in charge of maintaining the gas lines and regularly switching out gas canisters. In the early 1900s, the lighthouse was switched to an acetylene gas fed light. Cleaning the glass surrounding the cupola would have been extremely important as well to make sure the light could be seen as far as possible. The original lighthouse to stand at the mouth of the New Basin Canal most likely would have an oil-fed flame, and it would have been the keeper’s duty to carry buckets of oil up the stairs to keep the flame lit. Though the New Canal Lighthouse has been a near constant fixture of the Southshore's skyline since 1843, its structure has changed over time. A light keeper's motto may have been "maintain, maintain," and depending on the time period, the task of maintenance would match the change in technology. On duty all 24 hours of the day, lightkeepers were primarily tasked with keeping their lights working, shining at night and through the fog. In reality, the job of being a light keeper required a hearty commitment. Imagined as a quiet and tranquil life or romantic isolation- the life of a lighthouse keeper might be a secret fantasy for many of us feeling overwhelmed by the age of pings and notifications. This month, we take a look back at what former keepers at the New Canal Lighthouse would have had to manage. Located on Lakefront Drive, the New Canal Lighthouse houses a museum and education operated by Pontchartrain Conservancy.
0 kommentar(er)
