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In the November 2008 edition, on page 32, we published this photograph of the former Carquinez Lighthouse Station in California believing that the small building on the right hand corner of the platform of the structure was a privy.
However, thanks to information supplied by Lighthouse Digest subscriber Douglas Peterson, we now know that we were incorrect as proven by the blueprints of the structure. Peterson's files indicate that the lighthouse was built as a twin residence with two separate sleeping quarters (2 bedrooms each) on the third floor. Each of those quarters had their own bathroom, including bathtub and toilet, all indoors and as part of the original design. The second floor, with still separate quarters, had a kitchen, dining room and living room.
The first floor was a common area for the rest of the station crew, with a bunkroom, two small bedrooms, common kitchen, dining room and living rooms, a workspace, three rooms for coal storage and an indoor bathroom and toilet.
However, the small building shown on the right corner of the pier/platform that the light station rested upon is not on the original blueprints and must have been added later. It may have been a paint or oil storage building.
Since this was such a large station it's hard to understand why photographs of the interior of the station, while lighthouse keepers staffed it, have not surfaced. If anyone can help us locate photographs of life at the lighthouse please contact editor@LighthouseDigest.com.
This story appeared in the
Jan/Feb 2009 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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