Frank Schubert - LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER
New York Works: Audio Portraits of a Vanishing City Produced by: Emily Botein & Joe Richman The Next Big Thing (NPR) 2/2/2002

Dean Olsher, host: A century ago there were more than a thousand lighthouse keepers in the US. and now there are two. Today most lighthouses are turned on and off by a timer. OF the remaining human operators one is Boston, heís a coast guard employee. The other a civilian is on Brooklynís Cony Island.

WATER CRASHING, SEAGULLS

Frank Schubert, lighthouse keeper: Well my name is Frank SChubert. Iím 85 years old. Weíre situated on what they call Nortonís Point. Itís a jut of land thatís going out into the lower bay. When you look out you got the Atlantic Ocean on your left, straight a head is New Jersey, to your right is New York. You can look out the front door and see for 15 miles. (SEAGULLS) Right now Iím the last civilian lighthouse keeper left in the United States.

And I think they keep me around because of public relation thatís it. Because we do get a lot of visitors. Visitors, visitors, visitors it drives me crazy. Iíve had people come out here they wanted to spend weekends out here. They wanted to pay me to put em up. They wanted to spend weekends just hanging around a lighthouse. I donít know why they like lighthouses. When we the last time you were on a lighthouse? To you itís romantic but when you see it everyday day after day, itís not romantic anymore,

DOB BARKS

Get out of the way mutton-head. Move. Years ago you didnít have that many visitors. At that time we had the old lighting system, not electricity, it was all kerosene and when you lit it if you didnít have smoked glasses on, that flash as soon as you lit if with a match you couldn't see for 20 minutes. But outside of keeping the light operating keeping it clean, maintaining it, the only you could do was fish. Thatís why I donít bother fishing here anymore. I was up to my neck in fishing.

See this boat out hereÖthat a tanker coming in. Everything that comes in and out of the harbor has got to come by the front door. But most of these shore stations have ether been sold or closed up they donít need this light any more.

People keep saying to me why donít you retire? Well you go out the front door you go approximately forty feet to get to the tower. Once you get to the tower thereís 80 some odd steps to get up to the top of the tower. And thatís your commute. So would you retire?

I got one son living out in Albuquerque; he wants me to go out there. How much water you see out in Albuquerque? Feels like youíre all bottled in. Out here you can sit on the front porch and take a look for 15 miles and see water. No if I were ever to leave here Iíd probably have to live someplace close to water. I got to like it.

WATER CRASHING ON SHORE

© 2002 Emily Botein & Joe Richman