This structure was built in 1893 to house the kerosene used to power the light. Until 1893, the Lighthouse's oil was stored in the vestibule house at the entrance to the tower. Moving it to a separate building reduced the risk of fire in the tower. The Oil House's roof is designed to draw oil fumes out through a vent in the peak.
Lighthouses were generally powered by Sperm Whale oil until its price rose dramatically in the 1850s. For about twenty years, lard was used as an alternative. In the mid-1870s, kerosene, which was less expensive than lard, became readily available, and was adopted by the federal Lighthouse Board as the official power source for its lighthouses.
Until that time, the Cape May Lighthouse's oil was stored in the side rooms of the tower vestibule, an arrangement common to many lighthouses. Kerosene was much more volatile than whale oil or lard, and the Lighthouse Board, concerned for the safety of its keepers, made a recommendation to Congress in 1885 that a separate oil storage building be erected for each lighthouse. Storing the oil outside of the lighthouse reduced the risk in the tower.
The oil house was engineered to meet the special needs of kerosene storage. The unusual, pagoda shaped roof is capped with a vent so that the kerosene fumes would be drawn out of the building, preventing possible explosion. Many oil houses were designed vents in the lower part of the walls as well. Originally, the oil house probably had interior shelves that held 5 gallon cans of kerosene. Later, a large tank was installed to receive oil delivered by tank truck. The tank was removed after the lighthouse was electrified in 1933, and the building was used for storage until being converted to an orientation exhibit and museum shop in 1990.
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