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Doug Bingham of the American Lighthouse Foundation gave the keynote address at the Minot Light Keepers Memorial Dedication. He talked about the working conditions that those early keepers faced, saying, “ Fresh food was not available-refrigeration did not exist - communication with the mainland was virtually nonexistent, the lighthouse rolled and pitched two feet each way with the motion of the seas, the heat was probably supplied by one small coal burning stove and on especially stormy nights sleep was probably a rare commodity.” He went on to say, “These two men, as did all other lightkeepers approached their task with the grim realization, taken from their sister organization at the U.S. Life Saving Service, “you have to go out, you don’t have to come back”. He went on to say, “These were men of character, true heroes in American history, They kept a good light, they served with pride under the most adverse of conditions and they died with honor, may they never be forgotten.”
Back to the edition of: July 2000
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