Report for Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Front Range (Michigan) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 11th |
| Inspector: | Ralph R. Tinkham |
| Location: | At outer end of W pier at entrance to Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge. MI. S'ly shore of Lake Superior, E'ly part. |
| Date of Report: | 06/16/1909 |
| Latitude: | 46° 41' 08" |
| Longitude: | 85° 58' 52" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Military reservation 200' strip parallel & adj to W pier of harbor entrance. |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | |
| Date of Permission: | 09/25/1895 |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | About 6 acres |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Character of Soil: | Shifting sand |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | On pier at water's edge |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | None |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | Directly onto harbor, either by tower or dwelling. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | Pier, timber cribbed, plank decked. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By boat or RR to Grand Marais, thence by small boat across harbor or by team or on foot along harbor point to station. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | About 3/4 mile to Post Office in Grand Marais. Town extends around S'ly side of harbor. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 3/4 miles |
| Distance to Village: | 3/4 miles |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | None |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | By small boat or by team. Bark road extends along sand point from town to light station |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1895 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | |
| Condition at This Date: | Fair |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Square |
| Form of Tower: | Pyramidal wood skeleton, upper part inclosed |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 43' 3" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 41' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Distant bluff wooded |
| Color of Tower: | White with black lantern |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Paint |
| Tower Connection: | Detached, about 1400'N of dwelling |
| Object of Navigation: | Harbor & range light |
| Building Materials: | Wood; 12" x 12" corner posts & timber struts. Upper part includes 2 rooms inclosed, shingled outside & ceiled inside |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | Skeleton frame open at base. |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 6" |
| Diameter at Base: | 18' 2" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 9' 8" outside - 8' 8" inside |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Wood step ladders, 2 flights inside tower. |
| Number of Landings: | Watchroom floor & lantern floor only |
| Size of Glass: | 9" x 12" &8*" x 14" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 4; 2 23" x 29" & 2 20.5" x 32" |
| Number of Doors: | 1 outer door leading to elevated walk. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Stand on crib harbor pier |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Shifting sand. Pier is wood crib piled w/ stone & decked |
| Soil Susceptibility: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Sec'y of War also granted permission to occupy Dec. 17, 1907. Of 2 rooms in tower, 1 below lantern is service room & 1 below that contains fog bell apparatus & opens onto elev. walk. |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 3/4" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | 6' 5.5" |
| Number of Sides: | 10 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 39 1/4" |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | 26 3/4" x 39 3/4" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 2 plates each 36 degrees |
| What Bearings: | Between 126 degrees & 162 degrees; 1 between 198 degrees & 234 degrees |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Cast iron. Parapet is lined with 4" wood matched ceiling |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | Pyramidal of cast iron flanged plates lined with zinc fitted on steel batten pinching strips screwed to flanges of roof plate. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Brass with platinum tip |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 8" x 1.5" copper band led from metal work of lantern down W outside of tower into water among stone fill of pier. |
| Balustrade: | Cast iron 12' square. Balustrqade 1 1/4" stanchions, ball tops & 2 2" x .5" rails |
| Lantern Doors: | 1 single fold cast iron door in parapet, brass fitted |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron plates, extended outside of parapet to main gallery |
| Watchroom Doors: | Iron trap door in floor of lantern with hand hole lift. |
| Parapet Diameter: | 6' 7 1/4" to wood lining. |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 5 ventilators in parapet cast iron hoods outside. Brass valve registers inside. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | Not needed |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Brass hooks screwed to verticals. |
| Watchroom |
| How is Watchroom Fitted: | Work bench across 1 side, table, glass box, & winding drum, shaft, & chain gear for fog bell machinery |
| How is Relief Called: | None |
| Where is Call System Led: |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | Henry LePaute, Paris |
| Year Made: | None given |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 6th |
| Inside Diameter: | 11 13/16" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed red |
| Time of Revolution: | Moveable only by hand for cleaning. |
| Flash Interval: | |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 2 panels each 90 degrees - 180 degrees. 2 opposite panels, each 90 degrees - 180 degrees have tier of 5 prisms back of central drum of front panels |
| Number of Panels: | 4 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | None |
| Arc of Each: | |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | Central belt, 2 elements above & 6 below |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 5 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3 |
| 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: | Old pattern cast iron, circular top. |
| Service Table: | None |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | None |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | |
| Chariot Description: | Apparatus mounted on cross & ring on 4 - 1 3/4" rollers bearing on pedestal top. Moveable for cleaning purposes only. |
| Length of Drop Tube: | |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | |
| Regulated: | |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | By ruby lamp chimney |
| Red Sectors Description: | |
| Where Color Attached: | To illuminating apparatus |
| Form of Colored Glass: | Lamp chimney |
| Lamp Description: | Funk-Heap |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 1 - 2 in use |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 in each lamp |
| Candle Power: |
| Vapor Oil Lamp |
| Number of Wicks or Mantels: | 1 |
| Diameter of Outside Wick: | 1 1/4" |
| Diameter of Mantel: | |
| Diameter of Circum Circle: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | None |
| Oil House Description: | 100' N'ly of dwelling. Wood shelving. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 6' 6" x 8' 8" |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Brick. metal slate roof, concrete floor, Globe ventilator |
| Oil House Capacity: | 100 5-gal cans |
| Other (Describe): | 4 large closets, 2nd floor of dwelling, fitted with hooks & shelves. |
| Suitability: | Dry & suitable |
| Fog Signal General |
| Fog Signal Kind: | Fog Bell, operated by a No. 3 Gamewell Fog Bell Striking Apparatus |
| Time to Start: | |
| How Long Will Pressure Last: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Year of Manufacture: | |
| Characteristic: | Bell struck every 30 seconds |
| Duplication: | None |
| Timing Device: | |
| If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown: | |
| Height Above Water: | |
| Compass Direction: | |
| Location: | |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Water Supply: | |
| Reached from Lighthouse: | Drum, chain wheel & shaft are in service room below lantern. |
| Description of Fog Signal Building: | Below housed portion of tower, extending to pier deck is box shaft, wood construction. Length of drop 17' 5". |
| Pressure And Recording Gauge: |
| Bell Signal |
| Weight: | 1,200 lbs |
| Metal: | Bronze |
| Diameter: | 40" |
| Height: | 30" |
| Time: | 4 hours |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Weights for Operation: |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Built 1908, 25' W of W pier & 30' N of rear range tower |
| Coloring: | Natural color of red brick; gables cement in beam work, roof red. |
| Construction Materials: | Brick walls, cement gables, metal slate roof, cut stone water table, sills & lintels. Wood porch & steps. |
| Number of Rooms: | 7, 4 closets, & cellar under whole house. |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 Keeper & family |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Oil house, privy, & small 2-room frame bldg formerly used as dwelling |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Oil house & privy red brick, red roof; Small bldg, yellow, red shingle roof. |
| Paths and Walks: | Concrete walk dwelling to privy & pier |
| Area Inclosed: | None |
| Area of Garden: | None |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | None |
| Area Cultivated: | None |
| Character of Surroundings: | Shifting sand. Premises imm. around dwelling covered with coarse ground which prevents somewhat, the shifting of sand around dwelling. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From drive well in cellar of dwelling |
| Quality: | Excellent |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | Filter of porous brick in cistern |
| Tank Capacity: | 1,350 gals - cellar of dwelling |
| Tank Material: | Brick |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Driven pipe well, 8' deep |
| Well Diameter: | 1 1/4" |
| Well Lining: | Wrought iron pipe |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pump |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | In cellar of dwelling. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Excellent |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | No |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | None needed |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Directly onto government harbor pier. No boathouse. |
| Distance and Direction: | |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | 5 mile E (7 by road) is Grand Marais Reservation. Fog bell app. run by clock work actuated by weights on 7/16' wire rope wound on drum. |