Report for Gull Rock (Michigan) - 1910

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Oliver G. Brown
Location: Light Station on a Rocky inlet between Keweenaw Point & Maniton Island, Lake Superior, Michigan
Date of Report: 08/25/1910
Latitude: 47° 25' 02"
Longitude: 87° 39' 50"
Premises
Site: Reservation
Date of Reservation: 10/18/1886
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 0.5 acres
Area Inclosed: None
Character of Soil: All trap rock
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark:
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: None
Wharf or Landing on Premises: 2 landings on east side & west side of boat house
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: None
Means to Reach Light Station: The lightstation can be reached by boat only
Distance to Nearest Road: Nearest public road is at Copper Harbor, 15 miles
Distance to Post Office: 27 miles to Post Office at Eagle Harbor
Distance to Village: 40 miles to Calumet by way of Copper Harbor.
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None
Facilities for Private Conveyance: 23 miles to Keweenaw Central RR Sta. at Manian, Mich.
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1867
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated:
Condition at This Date: Good
Shape of Tower in Plan: Square Prism.
Form of Tower:
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 45 feet
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 50 feet
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea:
Color of Tower: Buff
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Natural color of brick
Tower Connection: Tower rises up directly in front of dwelling
Object of Navigation: Coast light, guide between Keweenaw Point & Gull Rock.
Building Materials: Brick
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: Outer wall 12"; inner wall circular & 4" thick
Wall Thickness at Parapet: Outer wall 12"; inner wall circular & 4" thick
Diameter at Base: 9 feet 4 inches
Diameter at Parapet: 9 feet 4 inches
Kind of Stairway and Steps: A circular cast iron stairs; no railing
Number of Landings: A landing & lantern floor
Size of Glass: 10 x 14
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 3 windows-2 of 2 sashes-1 of 1 sash- each sash 2' 7.75" x 2' 10.25"
Number of Doors: One wooden door leads into tower from the ground
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface:
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: All rocky
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks: The site is a rocky upheaval about 0.5 mile to the Westward of Manitou Island. Tower & dwelling is built in center of rock. Sea wall on 3 side of dwelling, N side exposed. Walls taper down to V slope on S side, protecting foundation of tower.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 4th
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal
Diameter to Glass: 7 feet 1/2 inch
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 10
Type of Bars: Vertical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 2 feet 11.5"
Number of Plates in Height: 1
Number of Plates Each Side: 1
Thickness of Plates: 5/16"
Size of Plates: 36" x 27"
Number of Storm Panes: None
Unglazed Side of Lantern: All sides glazed.
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Upper & lower parts of cast iron- lower part lined inside with vertical wood ceiling.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: 10 sided pyramidal dome - cast iron outside, lined with zinc sheets inside. Small tin cone lens protector is fastened to peak of roof inside.
Ventilator / Cowl: Cast iron
Lightning Spindle: Copper
Description of Lightning Rod: 1/2" copper rod is fastened to balcony floor, runs down outside of tower & is buried in rock below.
Balustrade: Balustrade of 2 rails; upper is a 2" x 1/2" iron bar - lower is 2.5" x 3/8" iron bar - 1.25 vertical stanchione with ball tops
Lantern Doors: Single fold cast iron door leads from parapet to outside gallery
Floor of Lantern: 0.75" cast iron floor; an iron trap door in floor leade down to stairs in tower
Watchroom Doors: No watch room.
Parapet Diameter: 6 feet 7.5 inches
Ventilators
Location / Number: 5 ventilators in parapet
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: None
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Hoods screwed to soffit.
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: Barbier and Fenestre, Paris.
Year Made: Unknown
Marks and Number: None
Order of Apparatus: 4th
Inside Diameter: 1' 7?16"
Light Characteristic: Fixed Red
Time of Revolution: Not movable
Flash Interval: No plashes
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 4
Number of Flash Panels: None
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 7
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: Cast iron cylindrical pedestal bolted to lantern floor
Service Table: Cast iron; is fastened to pedestal & suppored at outer end by 1 wooden leg.
Draft Tube Description: None
Revolving Machinery: Not revolving
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: Red light produced by red chimney on lamp.
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: Funck Heap lamp
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 1
Number of Spare Burners: None
Candle Power:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 1
Diameter of Outside Wick: 1.5 inches
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: 1 small cupboard at third landing, used ot keep cleaning rags, etc.
Oil House Description: One end of cellar is boarded up for oil house
Oil House Inside Dimension: 5 feet x 11.5 feet
Oil House Construction Material: Brick and wood
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): 1 closet in dwelling on second floor. Cellar under dwelling is used as a store room.
Suitability: Dry & suitable
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind:
Time to Start:
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer:
Year of Manufacture:
Characteristic:
Duplication:
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:
Description of Fog Signal Building:
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Dwelling
Location: Tower rises directly up in fornt of dwelling
Coloring: Buff
Construction Materials: Brick with shingled rood
Number of Rooms: 7 rooms
Number of Dwellings: 1 dwelling
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1 keeper & 1 assistant
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: Privy, boat house
Outhouse Coloring: Privy is buff color & boat house is painted white
Paths and Walks: Concrete walks on one side of dwelling and part way to privy & boat house.
Area Inclosed: None enclosed
Area of Garden: None
Area Timber or Shrubbery: None
Cultivation Area Available: None
Area Cultivated: None
Character of Surroundings: All solid rock.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: From lake for all purposes
Quality: Good
Quantity:
Injury Possible:
Purity Precaution:
Tank Capacity: No cistern
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: No well
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket:
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling:
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Healthfulness-excellent.
Diseases: None
Prevalency:
Local Causes: No.
Recommended Improvements:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: The boat house is 12.5' x 27.5' in plan and is built of wood. It is placed on S'ly end of the rock. Landing extend out from east and west endo of boat house. Both are crib landings.
Distance and Direction: Boat houses and landing is about 75 feet S'ly from tower
Miscellaneous Remarks: Premises in very good condition with exception of lens. 1 panel of lens which forms door in bad shape. Prisms that form this panel are all loose. Cementing material has loosened & allows prisms to move. When door is open, weight deforms frame.