Preface

This book was researched using primarily material gathered together by others during light station restoration. The greatest wealth of information about East Brother's past comes from Record Group 26, National Archives, Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, some of the old government records pertaining to this and other lighthouses were consumed by a Treasury Department fire in 1921. Nevertheless, enough has survived in the case of East Brother to document reasonably well its early history. Most helpful among these unpublished documents were the clipping file, topographical report dated 1882, correspondence file, descriptive pamphlet dated 1919, index to correspondence received by the Lighthouse Board, the registers of lighthouse keepers' salaries, and the station journals.

Published United States government sources yielded information not only about East Brother, but also about the Lighthouse Service in general. Particularly useful were the annual reports of the Lighthouse Board and the Bureau of Lighthouses, the U.S. Statutes at Large, and early Light Lists. Other federal government publications consulted were: Instructions and Directions to Guide Light-House Keepers and Others Belonging to the Light-House Establishment (January 1, 1870); Instructions to Light-Keepers (July 1881); The Modern Light-House Service by Arnold Johnson (1890); The United States Lighthouse Service by John S. Conway (1923); and The Lighthouse Service: Its History, Activities, and Organization by George Weiss (1926). 

East Brother's recent history is chronicled by the extensive collection of newspaper clippings, correspondence, and photographs preserved by East Brother Light Station, Inc. these were compiled from the collections of individuals as well as the files of many different local agencies and institutions.

Government publications, recent correspondence, and photographs were also examined at the U.S. Coast Guard, Twelfth District, Aids to Navigation Branch in Alameda, California. I am particularly indebted to Mr. Wayne Wheeler for kindly making these materials available to me and for his many helpful comments and suggestions for improving the manuscript.

In addition, I especially wish to thank the following for their help: Tom Butt, Walter Fanning, Leigh and Linda Hurley; Sally Legakis; McHenry Library, U.C. Santa Cruz; National Maritime Museum, San Francisco; Nancy Norton; Edith Perry; the Richmond Public Library; Suzanne Schettler; Ralph Shanks; David Shonman; Kirk and Pat Smith; and Nels Stenmark.

Frank Perry