Issue Seven Spring 2021

300 trips to Egg Rock delivering building supplies. The new
lighthouse was a square brick tower and was attached to the
side of the keeper’s house, which was wood framed.
This photo is an example of what the lantern would have
looked like. This pictured lighthouse is located at Mc-
Gulpin Point, Michigan, and is referred to as a ‘4th order
American Style’ lantern. According to New England Lighthouses
virtual guide, an oil house was built in 1904 and a
new pier and boat house were constructed in 1906. Other
outbuildings would store provisions for the long winters
and for times when getting to shore was inadvisable, as well
as to provide protection for the family livestock.
This lighthouse remained in operation until WWI, when it
was dimmed due to fears of enemy submarines possibly being
in the area. During the war, the lighthouse was manned
by a succession of young men who were completing their
training with the Nahant Life Saving station. We believe
this picture of the men in their cork vests was taken around
1915 at the Nahant station.
In 1919, an automatic gas-operated light replaced the oil
lantern, and keepers were no longer needed. By 1922, the
light was discontinued altogether. The U. S. Government
sold the buildings for a total of $160. The buyer, John Cavanaugh
of Milton, Mass, had to remove the buildings at his
own expense. The keeper’s house was carefully removed
from the light house tower. The house was slowly moved
on rollers to be lowered onto a waiting barge. After only 50
feet, a cable that was helping to control the move snapped,
and the house slid down the side of Egg Rock and came to a
rest partially submerged in the water. There were a couple
of workmen in the house at the time, but they were able to
escape through windows. Despite the hope of then moving
the house in pieces to shore, it slipped into the ocean a few
days later. It is reported that some pieces washed up on local
beaches for a while. A friend of mine told me about doing
some scuba diving off Egg Rock and came upon some
of the remains. It startled him to say the least.
Over the course of the Lighthouse’s almost 66-year history
ten keepers, and their families, kept the light burning.
Some children were actually born on Egg Rock. While
some family members found it to be lonely at times, others
embraced it and reported feelings of homesickness when
away from the rock. In addition to human family members,
the keepers had chickens, goats, tame birds, pigs, and of
course, dogs. The most famous dog would be Milo, the first
keeper’s pet, who is said to have rescued the keeper’s son,
Fred, from drowning. This rescue inspired artist Sir Edwin
Henry Landseer to paint a portrait of Milo with young Fred
between his paws. The painting, Saved, became famous
across America. But that’s a story for another day.
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