As part of the Keeper’s Dwelling restoration project in 2014, the historic Oil House was returned to its historic appearance. Built in 1890, the building provided fire-proof storage space for the kerosene that fueled the lighthouse oil lamps. Historical photographs indicate that the Oil House was painted to blend in with the Tower. At some time the exterior was sandblasted to remove its white coating. In keeping with preservation standards, the building has now been whitewashed with a lime-based solution, a reversible coating much like that used by light keepers. A hand-formed standing seam terne metal roof has also been installed and painted red. The choice of roofing and paint color was based on the original specifications of our lighthouse, other oil houses of the period, and consultation with the U.S. Lighthouse Society’s Technical Advisor, Thomas Tag.
