Being a New Dungeness Lighthouse Keeper for a Week
The Light Station has been continuously staffed 24 hours a day since 1994 by
Association members who serve as volunteer Keepers at their own expense, while
serving one-week shifts. The Association membership has grown to almost 800
family units, composed of approximately 1,900 individuals. If you are not an
Association member, and want the opportunity to volunteer as a Keeper, visit our
Membership page.
The Keeper's Quarters has three main bedrooms, two with queen size beds and one
with a queen and a twin. There is also a bedroom in the basement with two twin
beds. Maximum capacity is 7 people. A fully equipped kitchen, dining room,
living room, and two bathrooms complete the living area of the house. A
recreation room with a pool/ping pong table, laundry facilities and storage are
located in the basement. Two or three couples (or some combination of 4-6 adults
and children) serve as Keepers each week. Children must be six (6) years of age
or older. Only current members of the New Dungeness Light Station Association
are eligible to be Keepers. Grandparents can stay with their grandchildren
without the children's parents being current members. Keepers perform
maintenance duties at the Light Station including watering, mowing and trimming
the lawn. They also give tours and provide historical information to the
visiting public.
The Light Station may not be suitable for the physically challenged. The duty of
a Keeper is a physical job and includes giving tours of the light tower (74
steps!)
 
History of the New Dungeness
Lighthouse
The New Dungeness Lighthouse was the first lighthouse completed in Washington
Territory. It has operated continuously providing navigational aids to ships
plying the waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca since its lard oil lamp was lit
for the first time on 14 December 1857. Originally, there were two full-time
Keepers who lived in the Lighthouse. In 1904 a dwelling for the
Officer-in-Charge was constructed east of the Lighthouse. Today this dwelling is
known as the Keeper's Quarters.
In 1927, because of deterioration, possibly caused by the North Cascades
earthquake that occurred in 1872, the 91-foot tower was reduced to its present
63 feet. A well drilled in 1930 provides excellent quality water. An armored
marine cable laid across Dungeness Bay in 1934 brought electricity to the Light
Station. In 1976, the light and fog signal were automated and the Station was
manned by a single Keeper. In 1993, it was added to the National Register of
Historic Places. Due to budget cuts, in 1994 the U.S. Coast Guard withdrew its
last Keeper. Plans were made to board up the buildings.
Unattended light stations often experience general deterioration and vandalism.
However, the New Dungeness Light Station Association was organized in 1994 with
the mission of protecting and preserving the Station. It obtained a renewable
license with the U.S. Coast Guard. The Association's goals state that "The New
Dungeness Light Station will be the finest example of historic restoration,
preservation and interpretation in the Nation". The Association instituted a
rigorous maintenance program, stabilized physically declining structures,
replaced fatigued equipment, and upgraded systems. The safety and security of
the property has been vastly improved with regular safety audits, emergency
protocols, communication equipment, first aid supplies and fire equipment. All
costs for maintenance and renovation of the Lighthouse, Keeper's Quarters and
outbuildings are provided by the Association through dues, donations and
Keeper's fees.
Membership in the Association furthers the mission of preserving and restoring
the site. Members have the unique opportunity to become Keepers and live the
life of a Keeper for a week, being responsible for the operation of the
Lighthouse in much the same isolation as Keepers of the Nineteenth Century. Each
week, up to six volunteer Keepers who have paid a weekly fee, planned their
meals and purchased their food are transported to the Station. During the week,
they perform minor maintenance and repairs to the buildings and mow, trim and
water the lawn. They serve as tour guides providing historical information to
visitors who have hiked the 5 miles at low tide or arrived in kayaks. The tour
includes a trip to the top of the tower to enjoy the panoramic view. Keepers
have greeted approximately 80,000 visitors since 1994.
The Association has developed an Interpretive Center in the Lighthouse to inform
visitors about the historic and present significance of the Light Station. Two
rooms in the original Lighthouse that were used as a Sitting Room and an Office
have been restored with furnishings appropriate for a 1930s timeframe. These
rooms display a timeline of Keepers and as well as photos and artifacts relevant
to life at the Station.
The Association works with the U.S. Coast Guard, which maintains the lantern,
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It has the support of the Jamestown
S'Klallam Tribe, Clallam County Sheriff's Department, Clallam County Fire
District No. 3, Sequim Chamber of Commerce, and local leaders.
The New Dungeness Lighthouse Association
PO Box 1283
Sequim, WA 98382
Phone:360-683-6638
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