Report for Ontonagon Light Station (Michigan) - 1910

General
District: 9th
Inspector: Oliver G. Brown
Location: Ontonagon Light Station, on the W'ly side of the entrance to Ontonagon River, S'ly shore of Lake Superior.
Date of Report: 08/13/1910
Latitude: 46° 52' 27"
Longitude: 89° 19' 32"
Premises
Site: Reservation. Section 25, H. 1/2 lot 7, T52N, R40W Mich. Meridan
Date of Reservation: 04/05/1847
Date of Deed:
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site: 22.63 acres
Area Inclosed: None
Character of Soil: Sandy
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark:
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: No inclosure.
Wharf or Landing on Premises: W'ly pier along Ontonagon River used as a landing.
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: Private road way from Ontonagon leads to lighthouse.
Means to Reach Light Station: Light station is in the village of Ontonagon, Mich.
Distance to Nearest Road:
Distance to Post Office:
Distance to Village:
Facilities for Public Conveyance:
Facilities for Private Conveyance:
Means Used for Support of Lantern: Tower
Number of Separate Lights: 1
First Built or Established: 1852
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: 1866
Condition at This Date: Good.
Shape of Tower in Plan: Square.
Form of Tower: Square prism.
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: 45' 0"
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: 47' 0"
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: Wooded.
Color of Tower: Buff
Color of Tower/ How Produced: Paint
Tower Connection: Tower rises from keeper's dwelling.
Object of Navigation: Coast light & harbor light.
Building Materials: Brick outside; inside plastered & whitewashed.
General Description: The tower has 1 entrance from outside & 2 entrances from the dwelling; 1 from each floor.
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' 4"
Diameter at Parapet: 9' 4"
Kind of Stairway and Steps: Circular cast iron stairs.
Number of Landings: 4 landings & lantarn floor.
Size of Glass: 10" x 14" 6 lights to each sash
Number of Windows and Size of Sash: 3 windows of 2 sashes each. sash 2' 10.5" x 2' 7.5"
Number of Doors: 1 wooden door leads from ground to tower.
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface:
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: All sandy.
Soil Susceptibility: To some extent.
Miscellaneous Remarks: The soil around the dwelling & tower is sandy & very shifting but the shifting has been stopped by shrubbery & sand grass which has been planted by the keeper, large quantity of cow peas have been planted in front of the dwelling to keep sand down.
Lantern and Fixtures
Order of Lantern: 4th
Shape of Lantern: Polygonal.
Diameter to Glass: 7' 1/2"
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides: 10
Type of Bars: Vertical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed: 2' 11.5"
Number of Plates in Height: 1
Number of Plates Each Side: 1
Thickness of Plates: 5/16"
Size of Plates: 2' 2.75" x 3' 0"
Number of Storm Panes: None
Unglazed Side of Lantern: 3 unglazed panels of 36 degrees each
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern: Cast iron outside both upper & lower parts. Lower part inside lined with vertical wooden ceiling.
Construction Material Roof / Cowl: 10 sides pyramidal dome. Cast iron outside; inside lined with sheet zinc. No lens protector.
Ventilator / Cowl: Cast iron
Lightning Spindle: Copper with platinum point.
Description of Lightning Rod: 1/2" copper rod is attached to balcony floor, runs down outside of tower into wet sand below.
Balustrade: Upper rail of 2" x 1/2" iron. lower of 2.5" x 3/8" iron; vertical stanchions 1.25" diam. with ball tops. Gallery floor is square in pattern & cast iron.
Lantern Doors: Single fold cast iron door leads from lantern to outside gallery.
Floor of Lantern: Cast iron 3/4" thick. Iron trap door in floor leads down to stairs.
Watchroom Doors: None.
Parapet Diameter: 6' 7.5"
Ventilators
Location / Number: 5 ventilators in parapet.
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: None.
Curtain Hooks / Hanger: Hooks screwed to soffit.


Watchroom
How is Watchroom Fitted: No watch room
How is Relief Called:
Where is Call System Led:
Illuminating Apparatus
Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker: L. Lautter & Co.
Year Made: Unknown
Marks and Number: None
Order of Apparatus: 5th
Inside Diameter: 1' 2-5/8"
Light Characteristic: Fixed white.
Time of Revolution: Not movable.
Flash Interval: No flashes.
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:
Number of Panels: 4 panels, one of which is a brass door that acts as a reflector
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum: 5
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: Pedestal of cast iron bolted to lantern floor & supports lens.
Service Table: Cast iron, fastened to pedestal.
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 Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description: Hains-5th order
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps:
Number of Spare Burners:
Candle Power:


Vapor Oil Lamp
Number of Wicks or Mantels: 1
Diameter of Outside Wick: 1 1/8"
Diameter of Mantel:
Diameter of Circum Circle:
Closets and Store Rooms
Tower Closet Use: 1 small cupboard at second landing is used for cleaning rags, etc.
Oil House Description: About 35' in rear of dwelling.
Oil House Inside Dimension: 7' 2" x 5' 6" x 9' high
Oil House Construction Material: Brick
Oil House Capacity:
Other (Describe): 5 closets in dwelling. Basement under dwelling part of which is used as a store room.
Suitability: Dry & Suitable.
Fog Signal General
Fog Signal Kind: None
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 rised from Dwelling.
Coloring: Buff.
Construction Materials: Brick.
Number of Rooms: 9 rooms
Number of Dwellings: 1 dwelling
Heating Plant:
Number of Keepers: Keeper & family.
Furnished Quarters:
NOT Furnished Quarters:
Outhouses: Privy of red brick, wood shed & oil house
Outhouse Coloring: Privy & oil house red brick, wood shed painted white.
Paths and Walks: At present, board walks. The walks around the dwelling are in very bad shape but are to be replaced this season of 1910 by concrete walks.
Area Inclosed: Not inclosed.
Area of Garden: About 1/10 acre.
Area Timber or Shrubbery: None.
Cultivation Area Available: None
Area Cultivated: About 1/10 acre for garden.
Character of Surroundings: Sandy & shifting sands mostly - SW corner of reservation is swampy.
Stove, Maker:
Stove, Size:
Sink, Maker:
Sink, Size:
Pump, Maker:
Pump, Size:
Lamps:
Water
How Procured: By pump from driven well. The keeper claims that the pipe which carries the water from the well to the dwelling is not low enough in to ground and freezes in the winter. He has to hire water carried in barrels to dwelling during the winter months.
Quality: Good.
Quantity: Not ample in winter.
Injury Possible: No
Purity Precaution: No cistern
Tank Capacity:
Tank Material:
Distilling Apparatus: False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description: Driven well
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket: Pump in dwelling
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling: Well is about 500' from dwelling & is carried through iron pipe.
Healthfulness
General Opinion: Healthfulness excellent.
Diseases: None.
Prevalency: No.
Local Causes: No.
Recommended Improvements: No.
Miscellaneous
Access to Lighthouse: The W'ly pier of Ontonagon River extends to within about 200' of the dwelling & boats of 15' draught can tie up at the pier.
Distance and Direction: No boat house on the property.
Miscellaneous Remarks: