Carl Olaf “C.O.” Svendsen became the keeper of the St. Simons Lighthouse in 1907 and would remain in the position until 1935. During his 28-year tenure, Svendsen, his wife Annie, and his children Carl, Jr., Lucille, and Helen lived in the Keeper’s Dwelling, which they shared with assistant keepers and their own families.
Image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Jinx, the Svendsen family dog
Photographs taken by the Svendsen family provide glimpses into their daily lives as the children grow up in the Keeper’s Dwelling and the work of the lighthouse steadily continues. Holiday celebrations and island events are intermixed with portraits of everyday activities. Some of the photographs feature a constant presence: Jinx, the Svendsen family dog.
Image courtesy of Coastal Georgia Historical Society
Jinx and Annie Svendsen
In addition to being a beloved pet, Jinx is remembered as the source of eerie lighthouse folklore. For the Svendsens, the dog raised questions about the possibility of a ghostly inhabitant of the Lighthouse. Nearly thirty years before C.O. Svendsen became the keeper, the light was operated by Frederick Osborne, who shared duties with assistant keeper John Stevens. Close quarters led to conflict between the two men. After a particularly heated argument in late February of 1880, Stevens fatally shot Osborne. Though it appears that Stevens was found to have acted in self-defense, he was relieved of his duties by the Lighthouse Service.
The Svendsen family had certainly heard this story, and for them, it explained some of Jinx’s mysterious reactions. Although Jinx was used to the sound of keepers climbing up and down the lighthouse stairs, other sounds from the tower seemed to scare the dog. The Svendsens heard these sounds too, often describing them as footsteps. Annie, C.O.’s wife, observed that Jinx would back away, growl, and even hide under furniture when hearing the “footsteps” from the tower. The story of the ghost is still known today, and Jinx’s reaction to the unknown has left many curious lighthouse visitors with chills down their spines.
Both of this month’s images from the collections of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society feature Jinx: one at the Keeper’s Dwelling with Annie Svendsen and the other in front of the lighthouse tower. These and other images from the Svendsens’ tenure at the lighthouse were generously donated by Carl Olaf Svendsen, Jr.
The Coastal Georgia Historical Society presents this article and images from our archives as part of our mission “to connect people to Coastal Georgia’s dynamic history.” The Society operates the iconic St. Simons Lighthouse Museum and the World War II Home Front Museum, housed in the Historic Coast Guard Station at East Beach. To learn more about the Society, its museums, diverse programs, and membership, please visit coastalgeorgiahistory.org.
