As one of the only remaining structures, Caroline used the lighthouse to house survivors of the 1893 Cheniere Caminada storm. Upon her passing the task was given to her daughter Caroline, who said she ‘had been preparing for the responsibility her whole life’. Devastation from the Cheniere Caminada storm of 1893Īfter the war ended, the Lighthouse would be tended by Mary Campbell’s husband Augustus before she inherited the responsibility in 1870. Connecting the ports of New Orleans made the New Canal Lighthouse a fixture of this system, with its only pause in 1863, when the light was ordered extinguished by General Sherman. The Lighthouses that have stood at the New Basin CanalĪs train and rail became the dominant method of transporting goods in the North, the South depended on waterways for conveyance and lighthouse operation was a critical part of this economy. She held the role until 1849, and would be followed by several other prominent women. The role passed from Thomas Beattie in 1847 (the first operator of the New Basin Lighthouse) to his wife Elizabeth upon his passing. While it was not uncommon for the role of lighthouse operator to pass to family members upon death, the New Basin Canal lighthouse is unique for having had the most female lighthouse operators in American history. Dedicated Lighthouse Keepers would watch over the waters from this post throughout the next century. However the regions tempestuous weather and decay took its toll on the location and it would need to be rebuilt several times. The original building was funded by Congress in 1837, and wholly completed in 1839 and would stand for over a decade. Since 1838 a lighthouse has stood at the mouth of Lake Pontchartrain to guide those ships that navigated the canal ( for more information visit: Shining a light, at ).
As many things are in New Orleans, our history and our relationship with water are closely entwined. March is Women’s History month, it is also significant for being the month in which we celebrate World Water day. “There isn’t anything unusual in a woman keeping a light in her window to guide menfolk home.I just happen to keep a bigger light than most women because I have got to see that so many men get safely home”
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