Summer jobs open: be a Lock Tender!

Where else can you spend your summer on the water, be part of living history, and get paid for it?

The Fox Locks are hiring for seasonal lock tenders–and since we are the only fully-restored hand-operated lock system in the nation, this is a unique job. The locks are opened and closed using a hand operated turnstile (it’s not hard to open the locks) and you can learn more about the operation in this short video:

For Scott Thompson, 2020 will be his 12th year as a lock tender and he loves it because he’s outside and no day is just like the day before. He also likes the unique history associated with the lock system.

“Working these locks is like instant time travel back to the late 1800s,” Thompson said. “Chatting with the boaters can be entertaining too. They’re usually full of questions about the locks and quite appreciative of the manual labor put into helping them get through.”

If you’re a newbie to the lock system, it was originally constructed in the 1850s and was the first transportation system in the State of Wisconsin. To learn more about the history of the lock system, visit this link. 

The job is ideal for someone who loves working outside during a nice Wisconsin summer, likes interacting with the public, and wants to be part of the 170-year history of the Fox Locks.

To apply, visit our careers page and follow the directions!