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First Lighthouse Keeper, P.N. Christiansen, with grandson Alden LosvarThe first keeper of the Mukilteo Light Station was Peter N. Christiansen, who arrived here from the Turn Point Light Station on Stuart Island with his wife and four children. He was given the assignment partially as a reward for his heroic efforts in saving the crew of the tugboat Enterprise that had run aground on Stuart Island in a severe winter storm in February 1897. Christiansen, a Norwegian immigrant, had been a sailor for 21 years -- 10 years with the U. S. Navy -- before joining the Lighthouse Service in 1893. He died on October 5, 1925, probably of a heart attack, shortly after helping unload a large shipment of coal for the light station. He had served with the Lighthouse Service for 31 years.

For Christiansen, it was quite a chore to keep the wick burning all night. With only a three-hour lamp placed inside the Fresnel lens to produce the signal, it was necessary to maintain a constant vigil. Windy nights could burn the kerosene even faster, requiring changes more often. The heavy smoke residue from the kerosene lamp made cleaning a constant chore. E. A. Brooks, the second lighthouse keeper, may have had life a little easier. In 1927, electricity from a generator on the first floor of the lighthouse replaced the kerosene lamp and produced a steadier glow.

Both of the homes for the lighthouse keepers are identical so it was up to the senior employee, the Lighthouse Keeper, to decide which would be occupied by him and his family. We know that the first Keeper, Peter N. Christiansen, chose the one closer to the town, but we do not know why. The other house, assigned to the Assistant Keeper, clearly has a better view in terms of unobstructed panoramas of water and mountains. But most people in the early 1900s built their homes for protection from the elements, rather than the grandeur of a view. Keeper Christiansen, or perhaps his wife, Theodine, may have wanted to live further from the storms and closer to the schools, churches, and stores. While only speculation, it is in keeping with the era’s emphasis on safety over scenery.