Report for Grand Island (Michigan) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 11th |
| Inspector: | Ralph R. Tinkham, |
| Location: | On sandstone cliff of N'ly end of Grand Island, MI., S'ly shore of Lake Superior |
| Date of Report: | 06/30/1909 |
| Latitude: | 46° 33' 35.9' |
| Longitude: | 86° 40' 53.6' |
| Premises |
| Site: | Reservation & purchase. Lot 1, Sec. 16, & lots 3 & 4, Sec. 15, T 48 N, R 19 W, MI. mer. |
| Date of Reservation: | 04/05/1847 |
| Date of Deed: | 05/06/1887 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 91.45 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Character of Soil: | Sand & loam |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | 150' to edge of cliff. Cliff 175' high. |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | No regular inclosures. 10' wire game fence erected by Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. crosses reservation to rear of lighthouse premises. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Boat landing 1/2 mile from tower. Boathouse at foot of sand bluff, reached by stairs & boardwalk from top. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Foot trail leads from tower to bank above boathouse. Wagon trail cut part way. Dist. 1/2 mile. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By tug or launch from Munising, MI., or by launch to Williams Landing at S end of island, thence by rig over good road to light station. Station is 10 miles from Williams Landing, which is 4 miles by water from Munising. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 15 miles to Munising by water |
| Distance to Post Office: | Munising, 15 miles |
| Distance to Village: | 10 miles to Williams Landing (summer resort) |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By launch |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1856 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | 1867 |
| Condition at This Date: | Good, except interior finish of lantern, which is poor. |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Prismatic |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 38.5' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 205' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Wooded |
| Color of Tower: | Buff; black lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Attached, forming center of dwelling. |
| Object of Navigation: | Lake coast light & guide to Grand Island Harbor. |
| Building Materials: | Brick walls, cut stone foundation wall & stone steps, sills & lintels |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 18" |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 18" |
| Diameter at Base: | 9' 4" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 9' 4" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Circular winding, cast iron. |
| Number of Landings: | 4; 3 1/4 landings & 1 1/8. |
| Size of Glass: | 10" x 14" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 2 6-lt & 1 12-lt.; sash 33 x 34" |
| Number of Doors: | 3; 1 outside, 1 2nd floor of dwelling, 1 1st floor of dwelling. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Stone foundation |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Sand & loam |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Yes. Forest grown up to small clearing containing bldgs & premises are well sodded. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 6' 11 3/4" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 6' 5 1/4" |
| Number of Sides: | 10 |
| 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: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | 36" x 27" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 2 dark panels, each 36 degrees (72 degrees) |
| What Bearings: | Between about 54 degrees to 126 degrees, N=0 degrees |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Cast iron, parapet lined with wood |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Pyramidal cast iron, zinc lined. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Iron |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 1/2" copper rod led from lantern deck to ground. |
| Balustrade: | Gallery cast iron, 12' sq. Rail 33" high, 3/4" x 2" & 1/2" x 2.5" flat bar rails with 1 1/4" stanchions, cast iron ball tops. |
| Lantern Doors: | Cast iron, single-fold door in parapet fitted with brass spring bolt & brass hinges. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron flanged plates, continued outside parapet to form lantern gallery. |
| Watchroom Doors: | No watchroom. Cast iron trap door, with hand hole lift, opens through floor of lantern. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' 4", lined with vertical wood ceiling. |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 ventilators in parapet, brass register valves inside, cast iron hoods outside. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Brass hooks screwed to verticals. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | 4 hours |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | L. Sautter, Paris |
| Year Made: | Not given |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 19 3/4" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed white varied by white flash |
| Time of Revolution: | 3 minutes |
| Flash Interval: | 90 seconds |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 2 fixed parts between 2 flash panels. Each fixed part of 2 panels each 60 degrees - 120 degrees to each part. |
| Number of Panels: | 6; 4 fixed & 2 flash |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 2 |
| Arc of Each: | Each 60 degrees |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | Fixed: cntrl belt, 2 ele. abv, 2 blw; Flash: Bullseye & 2 conc. cir. ele. |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 5, in all panels |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3, in all panels |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | |
| Pedestal: | Old pattern cast iron, circular top, 20" diam. |
| Service Table: | Fan-shaped, cast iron, attached to pedestal & supporting clockwork. |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | French clockwork operating horizontal spur gear driving a horiz. spur rack, circular, forming base of illuminating apparatus. |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Pivot bearing. |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 25' |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | 4 hours |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | By glass-paneled brass-bound case. |
| Regulated: | Fan governor & by adding & subtracting weights. |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | Not colored. |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Funk-Heap 4th order, 1 wick |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 spare, 2 in use |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 burner to each lamp. |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Wound on drum & led through lantern floor, over brass sheaves into flue in wall. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 wick |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 1.5" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | Small shelf closet is set in wall at stair landing at 2nd floor of dwelling |
| Oil House Description: | 75' W'ly in rear of dwelling, wood shelving. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 6' 6" x 8' 8" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Vitrified brick walls, metal-slate roof, concrete floor & ceiling. |
| Oil House Capacity: | 50 5-gal cans. |
| Other (Describe): | 1 large closet or storeroom on 1st floor, 1 closet 2nd floor, both in dwelling. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Attached to W side of tower. |
| Coloring: | Buff, painted on brick walls |
| Construction Materials: | Brick walls on stone foundation, cut stone sills & lintels. |
| Number of Rooms: | 7 plus cleaning room, 2 closets, pantry & cellar |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 Keeper & 1 assistant |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Shed, 14 x 24' batten board, metal-slate roof; privy 8 x 6' brick, shingle roof; spring house of boards 4x4'; oilhouse & boathouse. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Shed & spring house, whitewashed, red roof; privy, buff, red roof; oilhouse brick, boathouse white. |
| Paths and Walks: | 150 lin. ft. of concrete walk to all bldgs. exc. boathouse, to which a path leads having 4 wood bridges over ravines. |
| Area Inclosed: | No inclosures |
| Area of Garden: | About 600 sq. ft., inclosed by low stave fence. |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | About 90 acres hardwood; some of it in cedar. |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None, aside from garden, which is artificially fertililized. |
| Area Cultivated: | None besides garden. |
| Character of Surroundings: | Sand & loam on sandstone bedrock. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From a spring |
| Quality: | Excellent |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | None |
| Tank Capacity: | Cistern in cellar under kitchen - not used. |
| Tank Material: | Brick |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Spring is curbed about 6' deep & covered with board & shingle house. |
| Well Diameter: | 3' |
| Well Lining: | Yes |
| Pump or Bucket: | By bucket |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | 100' SE'ly of kitchen. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Excellent |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | No |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | None necessary |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Boathouse is 12x28' in plan, 10' to plates, vert. boards battened & natural shingle roof. Fitted w/ iron winch. Boat landing is log crib 31x12', filled w/ stone & planked over, to which is a plank walk 51' long & 4' wide from NW corner of boathouse. |
| Distance and Direction: | Boathouse is about 1/2 mile SE'ly from lighthouse. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | On trail leading from lighthouse to boathouse, 4 bridges cross deep ravines. Each is 4' wide with 2x4" handrail & stanchions on 1 side only, & built of timber strings on timber trestle bents, plank deck. Bridges, in order from l.h. are 25', 70', 69' & 45' |