Report for Grand Island Harbor Rear Range (Michigan) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 4th |
| Inspector: | Ralph R. Tinkham |
| Location: | On mainland, W'ly entrance to Grand Island Harbor. S'ly shore of Lake Superior, MI 375' S x E 7/16 E from Front light. |
| Date of Report: | 07/03/1909 |
| Latitude: | |
| Longitude: |
| Premises |
| Site: | Reservation. Lots 3 & 4, Sec. 28, T 47 N, R 19 W. Mich., 1866 |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 115.5 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | 31, 304 sq. ft. |
| Character of Soil: | Sand |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Fence of cedar posts, top rail, & wire netting standing 5' high, incloses dwelling, rear tower, oil house, barn & privy. Fence is 182' front & 172' side. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Crib landing at front tower & boathouse |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Plank walk from dwelling. No road, but team can be driven over ground between towers. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By boat - small boat of light draft necessary to effect landing, as there is but 2' water at landing. By road - rig or team from Munising, MI. Road is very sandy & hilly much of the way. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 3 miles to Munising. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 3 miles to Munising. |
| Distance to Village: | 3 miles to Munising. |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By rig or boat from Munising |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | In cupola on dwelling |
| Number of Separate Lights: | One |
| First Built or Established: | 1868 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Rain driven through walls of cupola |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Rectangular |
| Form of Tower: | Prismatic |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 37' |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 45' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Wooded |
| Color of Tower: | White |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Attached in form of cupola on front of dwelling. |
| Object of Navigation: | Range for W entrance to Grand Harbor. |
| Building Materials: | Wood frame construction |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 6" frame walls |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 6" frame walls |
| Diameter at Base: | 7' x 11' |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 7' x 11' |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wood, with wood rails |
| Number of Landings: | Only hallways of dwelling |
| Size of Glass: | 9" x 12" & 10" x 14" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 1 - 12 lt, 9" x 12" sash, 31 1/4 x 28"; 2 4-lt 10" x 14", sash 17" x 24.5" |
| Number of Doors: | 1 entrance door wood-paneled |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | On house which has brick foundation. |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Loose sand around both groups of bldgs, sparsely grassed |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Premises are kept cleared of brush & trees which grow all around. Grass thin in sand surface. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | |
| Shape of Lantern: | |
| Diameter to Glass: | |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | |
| Type of Bars: | |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | |
| Number of Plates in Height: | |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | |
| Thickness of Plates: | |
| Size of Plates: | 23.5" x 34.5" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | |
| What Bearings: | |
| Construction Material Lantern: | |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Metal slated |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Pyramidal zinc hood leading into shaft. Small ventilator ball of sheet iron. |
| Lightning Spindle: | Copper |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 3/16" x 2" copper band attached to top of ventilator, led down outside 2' into sand. |
| Balustrade: | None |
| Lantern Doors: | None |
| Floor of Lantern: | Wood |
| Watchroom Doors: | Trap door of wood, 4' 3" x 1' 9" in floor of lantern. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' x 9' 2" in plan x 7' 3" high. |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 wood box ventilators with wood sides in wall. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Small brass hooks over lantern windows. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Not known |
| Year Made: | Not given |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | Lens lantern |
| Inside Diameter: | 11 3/4" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed. |
| Time of Revolution: | |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 2 panels each - 90 degrees - 180 degrees. Spherical segmental brass door closes rear of lantern - 180 degrees. |
| Number of Panels: | 2 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | Central belt, 3 elements above, 3 below |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | None |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | None |
| 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: | Tripod of 3, 3/4" rods with base ring screwed to floor & top ring into which is set the lens lantern. |
| Service Table: | Wood shelf across lantern in front of window. |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | None |
| 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: | Not colored |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Single, flat wick, 1" wide. |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 spare; 4 in use - total 6 |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 burner to each lamp & 5 extra. |
| Candle Power: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | |
| Oil House Description: | 100' SW of tower |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 9' 4" x 7' 5" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Concrete blocks; conc. floor & reinforced conc. ceiling, metal-slate roof. |
| Oil House Capacity: | 100 5-gal cans |
| Other (Describe): | Lrg store closet on 1st floor of dwelling. Woodshed added by Keeper to rear of dwelling; 2 closets 2nd floor. |
| Suitability: | Suitable. |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Light forms cupola on top of dwelling |
| Coloring: | Painted white, red roof |
| Construction Materials: | Brick foundation walls, frame construction sided, metal slate roof. Rear addition, batten boards, shingle roof. |
| Number of Rooms: | 7 rooms, inc. cleaning room on 1st floor. |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 Keeper & family |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Boathouse, log icehouse; barn, boarded & shingle roof, 12' x 22'; shed board & battened, shingle roof (condemned); shed 7' x 9' sided, shingle roof; privy 6' x 6', frame sided, shingle roof |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Boathouse, red, red roof; privy, white paint; others whitewashed. |
| Paths and Walks: | 550' board walk connecting all bldgs except sheds. |
| Area Inclosed: | 31,304 sq. ft. surrounding dwelling & other bldgs, excepting front tower, boathouse & icehouse. |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | About 110 acres, mostly cedar swamp; some hardwood. |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None. Cleaned portion might be improved. |
| Area Cultivated: | None. |
| Character of Surroundings: | Around bldgs & E'd of same, soil sandy & high. In rear of bldgs, & W'd, is thick cedar swamp & wet. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From lake by bucket at boat landing. |
| Quality: | Good. |
| Quantity: | Ice interferes in spring & fall. |
| Injury Possible: | Becomes muddy & dirty with seas running. |
| Purity Precaution: | None. Used for gen. domestic purposes. |
| Tank Capacity: | Not known. Beneath kitchen. |
| Tank Material: | Brick |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Old, abandoned curbed well catches & holds swamp water. Driven iron pipe well - water not good & is not used. |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | Driven pipe |
| Pump or Bucket: | Force pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | 20' W of kitchen. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Generally healthy. |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | |
| Local Causes: | S & W portions of reservation bordering on station premises are swamp. |
| Recommended Improvements: | Old well should be filled. It holds stagnant surface & swamp water. Deck covered with sand has once broken through & there is danger of falling. No other drainage necessary. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Boathouse 12' x 24' plan (converted to barn 1909) board & battened & has shingle roof. Stands on piles on beach fronting crib boat landing 20' long - not used because of shallow water. |
| Distance and Direction: | Boathouse - 360' N'ly |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Season 1909 - boathouse moved to rear of dwelling premises & put onto brick wall foundation, to be used as barn. There is no longer a boat at this station. |