Report for Little Traverse Light Station (Michigan) - 1907

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Francis J. Otter, Office of Engineer, 9th Dist.
Location: Guide into Little Traverse Bay.
Date of Report: 12/03/1907
Latitude: 45° 25' 07" N
Longitude: 84° 58' 05" W
Premises
Site: Purchase; being Frac Section 24. Tp 35N, R 6W Emmet County, MI
Date of Reservation: 07/25/1883
Date of Deed: 10/29/1883
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 3-62 acres more or less & right of way 4 rods wide.
Area Inclosed: 1.72 acres.
Character of Soil: Coarse gravel
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: About 225'
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: By fence with posts 8' centers, cap & top board finish & 3 strands galvanized twisted ribbon wire.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: None, small boats land on beach.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: None
Means to Reach Light Station: By driving or walking (distance 1 1/4 mi) from Harbor Springs MI or by small boat (distance 3/4 mi by water) from Harbor Springs.
Distance to Nearest Road: 1 1/4 miles to Grand Rapids & Indiana RR station.
Distance to Post Office: 1.5 miles
Distance to Village: 1 1/4 miles
Facilities for Public Conveyance: None
Facilities for Private Conveyance: Good 1.5 miles
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Brick tower
Number of Separate Lights: One
First Built or Established: 1884
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated:
Condition at This Date: Good
Shape of Tower in Plan: Square
Form of Tower: Parallel opiped
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 40'
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 41'
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Resort bldgs of Resort Assoc. & wooded bluffs
Color of Tower: Red
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Red brick
Tower Connection: Attached to S'ly end of dwelling
Object of Navigation: Harbor light for general purposes.
Building Materials: Brick, stone & iron
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base: 20" stone foundation, 12" brick wall above
Wall Thickness at Parapet: 12" brick
Diameter at Base: 8' 6" x 8' 6" square
Diameter at Parapet: 8' 6" x 8' 6" square
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Wooden
Number of Landings: None. Treads wind around newel posts.
Size of Glass: 10" x 14"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 2, 10 x 14 - 12 lts each, 1 5/4 sash.
Number of Doors: 1 frame, at entrnace to tower.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: Stone, 9' 6" total height, 2' 9" sq. above ground.
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: Sand & gravel
Soil Susceptibility: By certain wild grasses, but not to trees other than poplars, Balm of Gilead's & like.
Miscellaneous Remarks: In conveying site to US, Harbor Point Assoc. received a strip of land, 4 rods in width, commencing on NW corner of site & following line of shore around point to SE corner to be used for roadway or drive.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 4th
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal
Diameter to Glass: 7' 4"
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 10
Type of Bars: Vertical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 36" To top of glass from Lantern deck 6' 6"
Number of Plates in Height: One
Number of Plates Each Side: One
Thickness of Plates: 3/8"
Size of Plates: 26 3/4" x 36"
Number of Storm Panes: Lantern not so fitted
Unglazed Side of Lantern: None
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Cast iron
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: Cast iron
Ventilator / Cowl: Cast iron
Lightning Spindle: 3' long 1.5" sq. at base. Upper half brass, fire gilded, fitted with platinum point, 2" long.
Description of Lightning Rod: 1/8" x 1.5" copper band, about 45' in length from lantern deck down outside of tower, & grounded in earth.
Balustrade: Gallery floor, cast iron 3/4 metal with CI cornice, 12' x 12'. Balustrade, 20 metal posts with 2 iron guardrails, 6" & 36" from gallery floor.
Lantern Doors: 1 door fitted in panel of lantern parapet, swings outward; 1 door of boiler plate hinged to deck of lantern, both fitted.
Floor of Lantern: Cast iron in 4 sections
Watchroom Doors: None
Parapet Diameter: 6' 7.5"
Ventilators
Location / Number: In metal panels of lantern parapet, radial pattern, brass front, 4 in number.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: None
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: 1 set of common brass hooks, secured to posts.
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: L. Sautter, Lemonier & Co., Paris
Year Made: 1881
Marks and Number: 332
Order of Apparatus: 4th
Inside Diameter: 19.5"
Light Characteristic: Fresnel lens, 4th order, fixed red with prismatic reflector.
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part: 3 fixed sections of 90 degrees each. 1 reflector section of 90 degrees, total 360 degrees.
Number of Panels: 4
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 5
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: 6
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: 4
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
Service Table: None
Draft Tube Description: Lens shield in proper position
Revolving Machinery:
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: Ruby chimney
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached: Chimney of illuminating apparatus
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: New 4th order, 1 wick to burner.
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps: 2 complete lamps
Number of Spare Burners:
Candle Power:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: None
Oil House Description: Brick bldg, 7' x 9' with metal door & globe ventilator. Fitted with shelves & has capacity of 450 gals. Located about 140' NW of dwelling.
Oil House Inside Dimension:
Oil House Construction Material:
Oil House Capacity: 450 gal.
Other (Describe): 3 closets in connection with bedrooms of dwellings. 2 pantries in connection with Kitchen & summer Kitchen & 1 store closet off hall, 1st floor.
Suitability: Dry & suitable for purposes designed for them.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: Bell struck by machinery
Time to Start:
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer: Boston Mass., Wm Blake & Co.
Year of Manufacture: 1881
Characteristic: Bell struck a double blow every 30 seconds.
Duplication:
Timing Device: Cam in clockwork
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown:
Height Above Water: 15'
Compass Direction:
Location: Guide to Little Traverse Bay & around Harbor Point, MI.
Distance and Direction: About 100' SE 1/2 S from tower.
Water Supply: None required
Reached from Lighthouse: By walk, 2' wide
Description of Fog Signal Building: Square pyramidal wooden tower about 25' high. Lower part enclosed; 12' x 12' at base, painted white & buff, red roof.
Pressure And Recording Gauge:
Bell Signal
Weight: 1,800 lbs
Metal: Bell metal
Diameter: 3' 7 1/4"
Height: 2' 7.5"
Time: 3 hrs 15 min.
Manufacturer: Wm Blake & Co.
Weights for Operation:
Dwelling
Location: Tower attached to & forms part of dwelling, stairs from 2nd floor hall leading to deck of gallery of lantern.
Coloring: Red brick - red roof
Construction Materials: Stone foundation, brick superstructure & shingled roof.
Number of Rooms: 9 inc. summer kitchen with closets & pantries prev. stated.
Number of Dwellings:
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: 1
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: Barn, 14' 4" x 28' 4"; Oil house 7' x 9'; privy; Fog bell tower 12' sq.
Outhouse Coloring: Barn, white; oil house, red; Bell tower, white & cream, red roof.
Paths and Walks: Cement walks to & around entire dwelling to various stations & 4 gates on reservation fence; except 50' plank walk to barn.
Area Inclosed: About 1.72 acres, by fence of cap & top board construction with 3 strands ribbon wire. painted red.
Area of Garden: None
Area Timber or Shrubbery: Very shrubbery
Cultivation Area Available: None whatever
Area Cultivated: None
Character of Surroundings: Sandy with some clay soil
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: From Harbor Springs village water works
Quality: Excellent
Quantity: Ample
Injury Possible: Not liable
Purity Precaution:
Tank Capacity: About 830 gals. Located in basement under kitchen
Tank Material: Brick thoroughly cement coated, 4' x 8' 9" x 5'
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: Old well at station not in use
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket:
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling: Faucet located in summer kitchen
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Good health generally prevails.
Diseases:
Prevalency:
Local Causes: None
Recommended Improvements:
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: No boat landing or boat house at station. Road to lighthouse from Harbor Springs, MI is very good; greater portion thru Resort Assoc grounds is planked.
Distance and Direction: There is a good wharf in deep water on property of Harbor Point Assoc. about 1000' from lighthouse at which a landing can be made in all weather.
Miscellaneous Remarks: