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'