Report for St. Helena Light Station (Michigan) - 1873
| General |
| District: | 11th |
| Inspector: | From recs in office of LH Engineer, Detroit. |
| Location: | On a small island separated from the SE end of the island of St. Helena by a narrow channel or strip of water. NE end of Lake Michigan near entrance to Straits of Mackinac from the west. |
| Date of Report: | 12/03/1873 |
| Latitude: | 45° 51' 15" |
| Longitude: | 84° 46' 50" |
| Premises |
| Site: | |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | At high water will not exceed 1/4 acre. |
| Area Inclosed: | |
| Character of Soil: | Hard gravel |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 30' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | None |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | No regular road |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By path across island or by following around beach from a dock 1 mile N of station. Or by boat from Mackinac. Dock mentioned is private dock on St. Helena Island, & is not visited by any regular line of boats. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | There is a good steamboat landing about 1 mile from the station, but it is not used by any regular line of boats. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 1 mile |
| Distance to Village: | 1 mile |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | By steamboat to Mackinac |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By small boat from Mackinac. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1873 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Round |
| Form of Tower: | |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 65' 2" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 71' 4" |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Low ground thickly covered with Alder & birch trees. |
| Color of Tower: | Red |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Natural color of brick |
| Tower Connection: | Connected by a covered way |
| Object of Navigation: | To guide vessels into the Straits of Mackinac from the W & also to mark the excellent anchorage under the lee of St. Helena Island. |
| Building Materials: | Brick |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 1' 8" outer wall & 8" inner wall. |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 8" outer wall & 4" inner wall |
| Diameter at Base: | 16' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 9' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Circular stairway w/ iron steps & landings |
| Number of Landings: | 3 |
| Size of Glass: | 12" x 16" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 4 - 2' 6" x 3' 4" |
| Number of Doors: | 1 |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Piles driven to underlying rock then cut off below water line & covered w/ 3' of concrete - then foundation of cut stone in regular courses to base of tower, filled in w/ rubble masonry. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Limestone & gravel with very thin soil in places. |
| Soil Susceptibility: | A few scattering willows now grow on the site. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | |
| Diameter to Glass: | 6' 6" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 10 |
| Type of Bars: | |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 40" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 1/4" |
| Size of Plates: | Same size |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Iron & copper |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Iron outside, copper inside |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | None |
| Lightning Spindle: | Copper & platinum |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | |
| Balustrade: | |
| Lantern Doors: | 1 iron door |
| Floor of Lantern: | Iron |
| Watchroom Doors: | No watchroom. Iron trap door leads from tower directly into lantern. |
| Parapet Diameter: |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | In lower part of lantern 9" below plate glass. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Screwed into sash bars |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | |
| Year Made: | |
| Marks and Number: | |
| Order of Apparatus: | 3 1/2 |
| Inside Diameter: | |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed red |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | Fixed 360 degrees Visible from W by N 3/4 N by S'd & E'd to N by W 1/4 W |
| Number of Panels: | |
| Number of Flash Panels: | |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | |
| 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: | Iron |
| Service Table: | Iron |
| Draft Tube Description: | |
| Revolving Machinery: | |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | Whole height of tower. |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | |
| Regulated: | |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | Red chimney |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Funck's Hydraulic Float lamp -2 wicks |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 2 |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | With shelves |
| Oil House Description: | In base of tower, oil butts placed in recesses in the wall. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | |
| Oil House Construction Material: | |
| Oil House Capacity: | |
| Other (Describe): | On 1st floor - fitted w/ workbench, shelves & hooks. |
| Suitability: | Dry & well suited. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Joined to tower by covered way |
| Coloring: | Red |
| Construction Materials: | Brick |
| Number of Rooms: | 8 |
| Number of Dwellings: | 1 |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Woodshed & water closet |
| Outhouse Coloring: | |
| Paths and Walks: | |
| Area Inclosed: | Premises not enclosed - area about 1/4 acre surrounded by water. |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | |
| Cultivation Area Available: | |
| Area Cultivated: | |
| Character of Surroundings: | Adjoining island is stony w/ light surface soil. Covered w/ stunted growth of timber. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From lake |
| Quality: | Good |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | Not liable |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | |
| Tank Material: | |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Very healthy |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | None |
| Recommended Improvements: | No |