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.