A Family Affair

Even though Newport was only four miles (7 km) away, bad weather, poor roads, and the demands of their work combined to tie the keepers and their families to the Yaquina Head Light Station.

What did they do?

They caught, shot and grew their own food

“Keepers whitewashing the garden fence and weeding the garden also today.”

• June 8, 1887

“2nd Asst. went up north beach trout fishing."

• June 9, 1887

"1st Asst. killed two calves today."

• September 22, 1888

They coped with the weather

”…when there were big storms and the seas were rough, it would make a roar and shake the house… The spray from the ocean, when the seas were rough, would spray clear up to the house."

• Marguerite Canterbury (born at Yaquina Head light station on June 18, 1916; daughter of First Assistant Fred Joseph Booth).

They entertained themselves

“… on one occasion my father dressed in mother's clothes, my mother dressed in Herbert Higgins' uniform, and my sister dressed up. That was fun!"

• Kathleen (Booth) Labarre, who lived at the station (1914-18) when her father was First Assistant.

Some of the women became “keeps”

"Mrs. M.J. Plummer went on duty as laborer today until a 2nd Asst. arrives at the station."

• August 17, 1888

In the long history of staffed U.S. lighthouses, a number of women, usually wives or daughters of keepers, served as keepers.

They sometimes died

"Moderate to fresh breezes S. to S.E. these hours last 12 hours some damp fog sea moderately smooth Keeper Capt. S.L. Wass died at 2 PM."

• February 9, 1886

Unless otherwise noted, all quotations are from the Keeper's Log, Yaquina Head Light Station. . This historical marker was erected by U.S. Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management. It is Near Newport in Lincoln County Oregon