Registers of Nominations - Ida Lewis (Wilson)
Ida Lewis (Wilson) stands out as one of the most esteemed lighthouse keepers in U.S. history. Her legacy goes beyond mere gender and encompasses her remarkable achievements during her time as a lighthouse keeper. Below we see the registered nomination of Ida Wilson in January of 1879. However, Mrs. Wilson served as an unofficial lighthouse keeper of Lime Rock Light Station alongside her mother as early as 1857, when her father fell ill. In these records we see when she was nominated and appointed lighthouse keeper, and also who she succeeded.
The National Archives in Washington, DC, has lighthouse and lighthouse keeper records in Record Group 26: Records of the U.S. Coast Guard. Early lighthouse records can be inconsistent and scattered through multiple series. Learn more about searching for records relating to lighthouses
Registers of Nominations - Ida Lewis (Wilson). National Archives Identifier: 2194598
View and download the Register of Nomination for Ida Lewis (Wilson) on the National Archives Catalog. You can explore more of our holdings by visiting our online Catalog or by visiting the National Archives in Washington, DC. This record is located with Record Group 24: Records of the U.S. Coast Guard, Registers of Nominations for Employees, 1868–1896. Many of the records in this collection have yet to be digitized. We encourage researchers to visit us onsite to explore these records and learn more about the archival collections held in the National Archives in Washington, DC.