Background

Light Station Boston is located on Little Brewster Island at the entrance of Boston Harbor and is the oldest light station (1716) in the country. It is currently the only U.S. Coast Guard Light Station that remains staffed. As of August 2003, a civilian Keeper has been appointed with the island being staffed with Coast Guard Auxiliary Assistant Keepers. Re-assignment of active duty billets were made to meet the needs of Homeland Security efforts. Coast Guard Sector Boston provides support in ensuring the facilities remain habitable. This is a significant shift from earlier times when Auxiliarists performed duty at Light Station Boston, without any training, as a means to allow one of the active duty to have time off. In 2000, a program was formalized to “qualify” Auxiliarists as Assistant Keepers with the vision of the Coast Guard, at some point in time, reducing the number of active duty personnel assigned to Boston Light.

The Boston Harbor Island National Park Area was established in 1996 with Little Brewster Island being one of the 34-islands and peninsulas comprising the Park. Boston Light is referred to as the “Jewel” of the park, holding centerfield in the marketing strategy to draw tourists to the harbor islands. As of 27 July 1999, Boston Light was officially opened for "public" tours, not only for park service sponsored tours, but also for pleasure craft to drop off passengers for a visit. The Boston Light Augmentation Program recruits Auxiliarists for: Historical Interpreters (tour guides) to support the National Park Service Rangers, Assistant Keepers to staff the island 24-7 along with the civilian Keeper, and to perform maintenance duty. 

There are a total of 13-private and public organizations that comprise the “partnership” in operating the Park. This National Park is unique because it owns no property. The Coast Guard continues to own, manage, maintain and staff Little Brewster Island. In 2007 approximately 4,200 tourists visited Boston Light. There were approx 100 Auxiliary volunteering their time as Assistant Keepers (12,452 hours), Historical Interpreters (1,123 hours), and/or maintenance workers (156 hours) for a total of 13,731 volunteer hours.

 Current Needs

Both the National Park Service and the U.S. Coast Guard have very tight budgets, being dependent upon volunteers to ensure the success of their missions. The Boston Light Augmentation Program continually seek out dedicated Auxiliarists for the Historical Interpreter, Assistant Keeper, and Maintenance Programs.

Components to the Program

1.       Historical Interpreters (tour guides) are sought to augment the National Park Ranger staff during the days the island is open for tours during the summer and early fall - Thursdays through Sunday. The Interpreter program is “day duty” (0930-1730).

2.       Assistant Keepers Program – advanced training (OTJ): Boston Light, being the last Coast Guard staff light station in the country, requires staffing the island 7-days a week, 24-hours a day. Auxiliarists that participate in this advanced training, commit for 4 to 7 days of consecutive duty, staying over night (24-hours) on the island from a Wed-Sun or Sun-Wed.

3.  Maintenance workers mow the lawn, paint, etc. This is "day duty" from mid-June to Mid-October.

Success of the Program for the Past Eight Years

The Boston Light Augmentation Program was introduced in the spring of 2000. During its first season, 56 Auxiliarists were trained as Historical Interpreters (tour guides) and 27 qualified as Lighthouse Assistant Keepers). This was a phenomenal accomplishment considering recruiting and training occurred over an eight-month period of time. Maintenance duty was introduced to the Augmentation Program in 2006 creating another venue of service. The three programs continue to be very successful with approx 100 Auxiliarists actively participating in 2007: 48 qualified Assistant Keepers, 85 Interpreters, and 8 Maintenance workers.

Historical Interpreter Recruitment and Training in 2008

National Park Service sponsored tours and pleasure craft doping off passengers for tours are offered at Boston Light during the summer and early fall dictated by sea and weather conditions for safe landings. Due to the “short season”, there is only a small window of opportunity for offering Historical Interpreter (tour guide) training in the late spring-early summer. Training takes place for 2-days, one mainland-classroom training and a second that takes place on the island. These limited offerings are on two separate weekends, usually on Saturdays (sometimes on Sundays). Historical Interpreter commitment is to sign-up and perform 3-days of duty throughout the 16-week season.  

Pre-Requisites for Participation:

Historical “Interpreters” (Tour Guides): There are no pre-requisites for this duty other than having an Auxiliary member number. Interpreters are scheduled for day duty from 0930- 1730. NPS tours are offered Thursday through Sunday from the end of June and concluding in early October. Due to a new seasonal dock to be constructed this spring-early summer, the 2008 season start date has not yet been determined. Scheduling of training dates to begin in May/June will be announced once the anticipated completion date of the dock construction becomes available.

Process for participation: Submit a Pre-registration Historical Interpreter Training Form to Colleen Kloster.

Lighthouse Assistant Keepers Program – advanced training (OTJ): Pre-requisites: Boat Crew Qualified (with mindfulness given to health issues), Interpreter Qualified, ability to climb a 100 foot tower twice a day, available for 24 hour duty for 4 to 7 consecutive days (Sun-Wed, Wed-Sun, Sun-Sun, or Wed-Wed).

Process for participation: when pre-requisites are completed or “in process”, submit a completed Assistant Keeper Program Application and be interviewed by the Keeper. Questions are to be directed to the Keeper.

Maintenance Duty: There are no pre-requisites for this duty other than having an Auxiliary member number.

This is day duty available any day of the week when transportation can be arranged from 15 June to mid October. Process for participation: Submit a Maintenance Contact Form to the Keeper.

Access to Little Brewster Island

Access to the 1 ½ acre island (at high tide) is by boat. It is located 1-mile off the Town of Hull, MA and approximately 10-miles from down-town Boston. A pier is located on the western end of the island. This is a concrete pier with a vertical ladder affixed to the face of it. During the tourist season (end of June to mid-October), a floating dock system is put into place for easier and safer access.

Important Note for those considering the Assistant Keeper program: From October to April, weather conditions frequently prevent crew transfers to occur on schedule with the possibility of having Assistant Keepers report a day early and/or to be detained on the island waiting for safer conditions for departure. Flexibility is an important consideration for participating in this program.

Transportation:

Interpreters usually come out to the island on the National Park’s chartered vessel from Boston, and whenever possible an Auxiliary vessel provides transportation for Historical Interpreters from Pemberton Pier in Hull.

Aux Assistant Keepers are provided transportation to the island from Coast Guard Station Point Allerton, Hull.  May-Oct an Auxiliary boat provides Assistant Keeper transportation; Oct-Apr, the Coast Guard provides transportation for Assistant Keepers.

Interested?  Contact:

Colleen Kloster, Chair               or                  Sally Snowman, USCG Civilian Keeper
            Phone: 617-568-9908                                      Phone: 508-746-5993

           Email: vonfyhren@att.net                               Email: s.snowmanph.d@att.net