Cana Island Light facts for kids

The Cana Island Lighthouse is a tall, historic lighthouse located just north of Baileys Harbor in Door County, Wisconsin, United States.

This lighthouse was built in 1869. It started shining its light in 1870. It helped ships find their way safely. It was built to replace an older lighthouse nearby. The Cana Island Lighthouse is still used today. It helps boats navigate the waters. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means it's a special historic site.

Since the 1970s, you can visit the lighthouse. You can also see the house where the lighthouse keeper lived. The Door County Maritime Museum helps people explore this amazing place.

History of the Lighthouse

The first buildings at Cana Island were the keeper's house, a small outdoor toilet, and the lighthouse tower. They were all made from a special kind of brick called Cream City brick. But the tower's bricks wore out quickly. This was because of strong storms and cold, icy winters.

In 1902, workers added a strong steel shell around the tower. This protected it from bad weather. The total cost for the house, tower, and steel shell was about $12,793.

How the Light Works

The light inside the tower is a special type called a third-order Fresnel lens. This lens was made in France. It helps make the light beam very strong and focused.

Over the years, the light's fuel changed many times. First, it used lard (animal fat). Then it switched to kerosene, then acetylene gas. Today, the light runs on electricity.

In the past, the lighthouse keeper or their helper had to carry oil to the top of the tower every night. This kept the lamp burning. When the light first became electric in 1945, it used a small generator and batteries. A power line was finally installed in the 1960s. Now, the light uses a brighter 200-watt bulb. There are four bulbs in a special holder. If one bulb burns out, the next one lights up automatically.

Other Buildings on the Island

Besides the lighthouse, there's an oil house. This building stored the fuel for the light. There was also a storage building and an outdoor toilet. An oil tank was hidden in the woods. A pipe carried the oil underground to the oil house.

The lighthouse sits on Cana Island. This island is about 8.7 acres big. It's connected to the mainland by a rocky path. Sometimes, this path is covered by 1 to 3 feet of cold Lake Michigan water.

When the lighthouse was first built, the area around the buildings was mostly rocks and dirt. But starting in 1900, a crew brought in top soil. They used eight teams of horses and wagons. After six weeks, they had enough soil to plant grass around the buildings. There is also a stone wall on the east side of the island. This wall protects the island from waves.

Lighthouse Keepers and the Tower

Before 1889, the lighthouse keeper's family members often helped out. Patrick Chambers was the first helper who wasn't part of the keeper's family. Once electricity came to the island, a helper was no longer needed.

The lighthouse tower is 89 feet tall. The light itself is about 85 feet above the water. It can be seen from about 17 nautical miles away. The tower's foundation goes 4 feet underground. It rests on solid rock. The tower walls are very thick at the bottom. They get a bit thinner near the top. There are 102 cast iron steps inside. These steps lead up to the room where the light shines.

Famous Events

The Cana Island Lighthouse has seen some dramatic events. On October 15, 1880, a huge storm hit. It was called the "Big Blow of 1880." This storm destroyed seven ships near the lighthouse. Later, on October 12, 1928, a large ship called the M.J. Bartelme got stuck in the fog near the island. Attempts to free the ship failed.

Keepers of the Light

Here are some of the people who kept the Cana Island Light shining:

• William Jackson (1869-1872) - He was the first keeper.
• Julius Warren (1872-1875)
• William Sanderson (1875-1891)
• Jesse T. Brown (1891-1913)
• Conrad A. Stram (1913-1918)
• Oscar R. Knudsen (1918-1924)
• Michael Drezdon (1941-1945)
• Rosie and Louie Janda (1977-1995)

Gallery

Images for kids

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  The Fresnel lens, made in France