Report for Port Washington Pierhead (Wisconsin) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 9th |
| Inspector: | Francis J. Otter, Draftsman |
| Location: | On outer end of N pier at entrance to Sauk River & harbor of Port Washington, WI. W'ly side of Lake Michigan. |
| Date of Report: | 12/06/1909 |
| Latitude: | 43° 23' 13" |
| Longitude: | 85° 51' 54" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Dwelling site purchased from Henry Genevieve Allen, Warranty deed, consideration $200; Site of light, Government pier, description of lot: Being Village lots # 27 & 28 Block 3 Johnston plat. |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 10/10/1848 |
| Date of Permission: | 10/10/1848 |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 0.25 acres as per survey of Geo. Y. Weisner, Sept. 22, 1884. |
| Area Inclosed: | 0.2 acres as per survey of Geo. Y. Weisner, Sept. 22, 1884. |
| Character of Soil: | Clay |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | Tower stands on wooden pier 6' above mean lake level |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Dwelling which stands on a hill (site as above) 83' above Lake level, is enclosed by an iron fence with cement posts on 2 sides of property & by tight board fence with cedar posts along the other sides. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | No landing at lighthouse dwelling grounds, but boat can go alongside of light tower, which is built on N entrance pier. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Dwelling is situated on city street; tower is situated on N pier of channel, & is reached by footwalk on pier leading from city street. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By boat, railroad & city street car line, Lighthouse dwelling is situated on city street. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 1/2 mile from C & NW RR Depot & about 150' from Milwaukee Northern Electric RR. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 1/4 mile |
| Distance to Village: | Situated in town of Port Washington, WI. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | By driving, steam & electric RR's, or by steamboat. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | Good |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower on N entrance Pierhead. |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | Original light tower & Keeper's Dwelling, built 1849. Pierhead light established on pierhead Sept. 15, 1899. |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | Dwelling was thoroughly repaired during 1909. |
| Condition at This Date: | Excellent |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal framework tower with upper portion enclosed. |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 42' 11" (36' 2" to focal plane) |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 42.5' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | City bldgs & foliage of trees. |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Painted with white lead & oil paint. |
| Tower Connection: | Detached, tower is situated on N pier at entrance to Harbor. |
| Object of Navigation: | Harbor & channel light. Width btwn piers at entrance = 170', N pier extends into Lake in a SE by E 3/4 E direction. |
| Building Materials: | Wood construction. |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Open, 12" x 12" posts on 12" x 12" sills, sills 20' long. |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 11" wooden walls. |
| Diameter at Base: | 16' sq., out to out of 12" x 12" corner posts |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 10' sq. |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wooden mill steps, open construction |
| Number of Landings: | 1: Steps w/ railing leads to lower room from pier then by mill step ladder into watchroom & lantern |
| Size of Glass: | 8" x 10" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 4 of 4 lights each, 20" x 24" sash |
| Number of Doors: | 1 door & 2 trap doors |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Tower sills bolted to wooden pier |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Tower on pier; dwelling site, clay with fairly rich top soil. |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Yes, by grass, shrubbery & trees |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower is of wooden construction with 2 rooms enclosed, 1 of which is watchroom beneath lantern. Tower is in good condition. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 7' 3/4" |
| Number of Sides: | 8 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 3' |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | 34" x 36" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | Lantern is not so fitted |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | None |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Cast iron |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Cast iron, lined with zinc. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Copper with a platinum tip |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | A flat copper band fastened to parapet of lantern down side of tower over pier to water. |
| Balustrade: | 1" gas pipe newels & rails, octagonal gallery 14' 2.5" x 14' 2.5"; with small octagon corners, 2' 9" on octagon. |
| Lantern Doors: | Cast iron, double hung on bronze hinges, fitted in parapet wall. |
| Floor of Lantern: | 7/8" x 4", D & M, maple flooring |
| Watchroom Doors: | Wooden trap door 2' 3" x 2' 9" |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' 7 1/4" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | In parapet, 4 bronze ventilators, radial pattern |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Bronze hooks, tapped into pinching strip of roof lining on vertical face. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | With cleaning table 2' x 9' with lockers beneath table top, watch room is 10' square. |
| How is Relief Called: | None |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Henry LePaute, Paris |
| Year Made: | |
| Marks and Number: | None on apparatus |
| Order of Apparatus: | 6th |
| Inside Diameter: | 11 13/16" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fresnel, fixed red, 180 degrees |
| Time of Revolution: | Fixed |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 2 fixed panels, 90 degrees each. |
| Number of Panels: | 4, 2 light panels & 2 prismatic reflector panels |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | False |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Cast iron, 1 piece, 2' 8" high |
| Service Table: | None |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | Fixed |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | |
| Regulated: | |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | By lens, lamp & ruby chimney of lamp. |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | Chimney forms portion of lamp. |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Improved 5th order lamp. |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1, 2 other lamps in regular commission |
| Number of Spare Burners: | Burner forms part of lamp |
| Candle Power: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 wick |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 1" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | 1 closet fitted with 2 shelves & 5 hooks for hanging purposes. |
| Oil House Description: | 50' E of dwelling, fitted with wooden shelving. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 5' x 7' |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Brick walls, concrete roof |
| Oil House Capacity: | 60 5-gal cans |
| Other (Describe): | Cellar of dwelling & barn are used for storage purposes. |
| Suitability: | Dry, suited to purposes for which they are used. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Located on lighthouse reservation, about 1/2 mile distant from Light tower on pier. |
| Coloring: | Walls, buff; roof red; |
| Construction Materials: | Brick & wood (ordinary) construction. |
| Number of Rooms: | 4rooms, stair hall & pantry on 1st floor; 3 bedrooms, office, stairs hall & 4 closets on 2nd floor. |
| Number of Dwellings: | 1 |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Barn, 15' x 25' frame with loft & privy in 1 corner over brick vault, & brick oil house, 6' 8" x 8' 8" |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Walls, buff; roof, red. |
| Paths and Walks: | Cement concrete walks to street, barn, oil house & well. |
| Area Inclosed: | 0.2 acres enclosed by wire & tight board fence. |
| Area of Garden: | 50' x 50' |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None, except a few apple trees |
| Cultivation Area Available: | About 75' x 75' |
| Area Cultivated: | 50' x 50' |
| Character of Surroundings: | Clay & hilly |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | Has to be carried up hill from foot of bluff |
| Quality: | Not very good (there is a well on reservation, but water not fit for use) |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | In cistern, cleaned periodically |
| Tank Capacity: | About 30 brls, in basement |
| Tank Material: | Cement concrete |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Dug well on property, 30' deep |
| Well Diameter: | 30" |
| Well Lining: | Lined with brick |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump, but water is not fit to be used for drinking |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | 25' |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Excellent |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | None |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Landing on pier alongside of tower, about 1/2 mile from dwelling. |
| Distance and Direction: | SE, about 1/2 mile from dwelling |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Tower is a frame, open work structure, with 2 enclosed rooms, 1 placed above the other, lower one used for general purposes, upper room just below lantern used for watchroom. Structure is in good condition. |