Historical records of the United States Lighthouse Service contain many accounts of peril and heroism associated with collisions, sinkings, and other disastrous events that befell some of our lightships. One of the more interesting and unusual cases concerns the loss of Light Vessel No. 58 (LV 58) on Nantucket Shoals in December 1905; a story involving superb seamanship and devotion to duty that led to rescue of the lightship crew under severe weather conditions. After the incident, some peculiar happenings caused a public reaction from coast to coast.
Lately there has been a revival of nostalgic remembrances of lighthouses and lightships, with mystical inferences, especially the loss of Vineyard South lightship - William Quinn in his excellent "Shipwrecks Around Cape Cod" mentions the sinking. Francis Ross Holland, Jr., in his "America's Light Houses" brings this forth. The latter has two bodies coming ashore, and Quinn has five bodies coming ashore. Mr. Quinn is right in this instance. However, the picture in his book is not a picture of Vineyard Sound lightship. Not that he says it is, but one assumes so.
In the very southeastern corner of Michigan is where the second lighthouse in that state stood. It was one of the earliest lighthouses built on Lake Erie. I ran across a mention of this lighthouse some years back and wondered just where it was located and why it was built. I found that the lighthouse stood for a little less than 20 years and very little was known about it. So, I decided to see if I could discover some of its history. The story you are about to read will give you all I have been able to find about the lost Otter Creek Point Lighthouse.
Those familiar with the hymn "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning" know it is an admonition to help others in their time of need. The two lights in the hymn, an upper and a lower one, are a metaphor for God and humankind; God looks after the big picture, but we humans must do our part to help our fellow man, on our smaller, mortal scale. The hymn, written by the Christian songwriter Philip Bliss, drew on a story told by evangelical preacher David L. Moody as part of his revival work.
The major problem with early lighthouses was the small output of light from the wood or coal fires then being used. Lighthouse designers were constantly looking for ways to produce more light. Experiments were made with the types of fuel being burned, with the design of the braziers, which held the burning fuel, and with ways to direct or concentrate the light from the fire. The first method of projecting and directing the light started with the design of the reflector. In this story we will discuss the various types reflectors that were used to create the 'Mirror of Light'.
The major problem with early lighthouses was the small output of light from the wood or coal fires then being used. Lighthouse designers were constantly looking for ways to produce more light. Experiments were made with the types of fuel being burned, with the design of the braziers, which held the burning fuel, and with ways to direct or concentrate the light from the fire. The first method of projecting and directing the light started with the design of the reflector. In this story we will discuss the various types of reflectors that were used to create the 'Mirror of Light'.
Lighthouse stories come from many sources. In this instance a chance encounter with a strange old photograph lead to the discovery of two missing lighthouses. In late 2007 we moved to the Chicago area and shortly after we arrived I decided to make a trip to the Chicago Historical Society to see what they had about lighthouses. I was going through their lighthouse photograph file when I came across a small 5 by 7 inch photo labeled "Old Port clinton Lighthouse, Illinois." I was familiar with a Port Clinton Lighthouse in Ohio, but had never heard of a Port Clinton, Illinois lighthouse.
From the bustling cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, where the blinker lights flash in brilliant rhythm, to the green jetties far below New Orleans where a drowsy pelican sits on the post beside each polished lamp, the river lights mount their guard to protect the passing vessels from disaster. Their very names are touched with the strange and the bizarre-Hanging Dog Light, Dark Slough Light, Devil's Island Float Light; they are rich calendars of local history and legend.
Some ten miles off the Maine Coast is a small island, which has been an important natural landmark. Since times immemorial, the island has felt the tread of mankind. In aboriginal times, the Penobscot Indians rowed the long distance to the island to fish and process whales. In fact, the name of the island, Monhegan, derives from the Penobscot word meaning "Faraway Island." Due to its location, for years Monhegan Island has been the first landfall for mariners approaching the Maine Coast from sea.
The life cycle of the lighthouses of the world vary to the same degree as any other category on this spaceship earth. Some spend a humdrum hundred years of existence experiencing nothing more exciting than an occasional wind storm. They faithfully flash their signal year after year only to be quietly discontinued when no longer needed to serve the mariner. Others struggle through life, battered by storms or fires. Some light stations are often the scene of high drama or tragedy. Ship wrecks, keepers going insane or life saving feats are the events reflected in the logs of some.