Keeper's Log KEEPER: James P Brooks 15 August, 1915      High NE wind and ugly weather, storm warnings reached this place today and a number of people came to this station for shelter in the Tower in the event that water should rise to danger stage, they came about 10 p.m., but, all but a man and wife named Gallop returned to their homes in the early morning. 16 August      This morning Mr. Johnson Merriman brought his family to Asst. Brooks quarters for shelter numbering 4 persons at about noon. Mr. & Mrs. Flake, SR., and Mr. & Mrs. Flake JR. and two children numbering 6 more persons also went to Asst. Brooks quarters for shelter and by 5:15 p.m. all the people in the neighborhood came in and were given shelter in the Tower numbering about 52 all told, the water was at this time over the grounds of the station, after this the water rapidly, rose in the night to a height of 5 feet over the grounds in front of the Tower and the wind attained a velocity of over 100 miles an hour. At I0:00 p.m. the Tower shook so terribly that the Lens could no longer be turned by hand or machinery and seeing that it was about to be thrown from its bearings and be demolished, and smash out the glasses around the lantern room in its fall, I wedged it up securely, thus the light was without flashes for the rest of the night. 17 August      After a night of terror the water fell very slowly and the wind continued very high all day with rain and having lost all our oil no Light could be made this night, and all the people who spent the night in the Tower last night had to spend this second night in the Tower. 18 August      Every house in the neighborhood settlement was gone including every bldg. on this station excepting only the tower and one end of the Keeper's dwelling badly wrecked and down in a washed out hole some 4 feet deep, and slantwise alongside of which an also much wrecked house was deposited in another hole. The lower floor of this remaining portion of the Keeper's house was all gutted, doors gone, and windows smashed. Nearly all the supplies of the Station were lost, and all three of the Keepers lost everything they had worthy of mention. We now remain with only our neighbors who are somehow managing to take shelter in their wrecked house on our grounds, all our visitors managed to get away by wading and in boats; to get food we have to wade in mud and water and swim where bridges were carried away to the village at the Point where a country store stood on higher ground nearly uninjured. A man named John Hunter of Dallas, Texas was picked up near the station and carried in by the 1st Asst., cared for as well as possible, he was bruised and battered having floated about on a bale of cotton and other things since the first night of the storm, and in the evening he was carried to a boat and sent to the infirmary in Galveston with dry clothing furnished him by the 2nd Asst. from a suitcase full he had thoughtfully taken into the Tower and saved: Having no oil, no light could be made in the Tower this night. 19 August      Today at noon I employed a laborer to help in the salvage of supplies which were tossed about in the several compartments in the base of the tower. 29 February, 1916      The oil heater operated by the 2nd Asst. set his quarters on fire while he was in the Tower, at 2 a.m. heater was destroyed by the fire, paper on walls and paint on door and window facing ruined, glasses in window smashed, broken, a patch of flooring burnt to some depth. His bedding partly burned off and 2 chairs and he was himself burned on face and hands while extinguishing the fire. 26 March      Keeper left to go to city to see doctor, sick with cold and fever, returned 5:00 p.m. 26 December      2nd Asst. left to dig a grave and attend a funeral 16 November, 1917*      This tower was struck and perforated by a 3 inch projectile and bombardment continued until 4:15 p.m. another missile struck the ground in front of Asst. quarters, more that 20 others fell between this Tower and the beach SE from this Lighthouse. Coast Guard were notified at the third shot, when the Naval Commandant and Coast Guard Supt. of this District came over on a patrol boat in time to witness a number of shots failing in front between lighthouse and beach, THE LIGHT WAS ORDERED NOT TO BE LIGHTED BY THE NAVAL OFFICIAL IN COMMAND, but later he ordered it lighted which was done at 6:55 p.m. 1 July, 1925      Col. Jinks and Capt. Tafrenz of Fort Crocket used the Tower for Range finding when firing the 12 inch gun at Fort Travis. COPY OF TELEGRAM: James P. Brooks, Keeper 27 May, 1929 Bolivar Point Light Station Port Bolivar, Texas Your request of May 24th for transfer has been received and will be given consideration at the proper time. Signed E.S. Lamphier, Supt. of LH      Bolivar Point Light Station was established in 1852. The present 120 foot height cast iron tower was constructed in 1872. At that time a 2nd order Fresnel lens was installed which displayed a fixed white light.      In 1933 the light station was discontinued and transferred to the Army for use as coast artillery operations. The tower served as an observation post. After W.W.II the property was declared surplus and sold to the highest bidder. Mr. C. Butt acquired the station for $5,500. The station includes several acres, the tower and keeper's dwellings. The station has been restored and serves as his family's summer resort. You can find additional information about Captain Harry C. Claiborne here. * Soldiers from nearby Fort San Jacinto had been conducting gunnery practice with what they thought were weak powder charges. they were more powerful than expected. You can read more about this here.