Harbor Beach Light facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Harbor Beach Light

Undated USCG photo
Harbor Beach Light Location in Michigan
Location	Northside breakwater Harbor Beach, Michigan
Coordinates	43°50′42″N 82°37′54″W / 43.84500°N 82.63167°W / 43.84500; -82.63167
Year first constructed	1858
Year first lit	1885
Automated	1968
Construction	Cast iron, brick lining
Tower shape	Frustum of a cone
Markings / pattern	White with red roof on lantern
Height	45 feet (14 m)
Focal height	54 feet (16 m)
Original lens	Fourth-order Fresnel lens
Current lens	VRB-25 acrylic
Intensity	20,000 candlepower
Range	Red 16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi), white 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi)
Characteristic	Al WR 10s
Fog signal	HORN: 1 blast ev 30s (3s bl). Operational remotely all year.
ARLHS number	USA-365
USCG number	7-10130

The Harbor Beach Lighthouse is a special kind of lighthouse called a "sparkplug lighthouse". It stands at the end of the north breakwall in Harbor Beach, Michigan. This breakwall helps protect the harbor, which is the biggest man-made freshwater harbor in the world! Harbor Beach is located on the eastern side of the Thumb area in Huron County, Michigan.

History of the Lighthouse

Before the 1900s, this port was a very important safe spot for ships. It was also home to one of the busiest lifesaving teams on Lake Huron. In the 1880s, a huge breakwater was built, and many lake boats found shelter there. Sadly, dozens of shipwrecks around the area show that some boats didn't make it to safety.

Since 1885, the Harbor Beach Breakwater Lighthouse has been a safe haven for ships caught in bad storms on Lake Huron. This lighthouse replaced an older wooden lighthouse that was built in 1877.

Building the New Lighthouse

The new lighthouse was built on a strong timber foundation. It's a round brick building covered with cast-iron plates. At first, the lighthouse was painted brown. Later, it had a black top section and lantern. At the very top, a round cast-iron room holds a ten-sided, cast-iron lantern. The light shines 54 feet (16 m) above the harbor and can be seen up to 16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi) away!

The tower is 45-foot (14 m) tall and sits on a concrete base. Below the brick, a timber frame filled with heavy stones helps keep the lighthouse stable. This design is similar to the Detroit River Light, which was also built in 1885.

Life Inside the Lighthouse

The lighthouse had several levels for the keepers who lived there.

• The first floor was the kitchen and living area.
• The next two floors were for sleeping. The second floor was for assistants, and the third was for the main keeper.
• The fourth floor was a workroom.
• The fifth floor was the watch room, where keepers kept an eye on the lake.
• The lantern room, on the sixth floor, held the original Fresnel lens. This special lens was made in Paris in 1884. Today, you can see it at the Grice House and Museum in Harbor Beach.

Next to the lighthouse, there used to be a small wooden building. It held equipment for the fog signal. This building was removed when the lighthouse became automated.

In 1913, a huge storm called the Great Storm of 1913 damaged the lighthouse's foundation, and it needed repairs.

Lighthouse Today

Today, the Harbor Beach Lighthouse works all by itself! The United States Coast Guard in Saginaw, Michigan controls it from far away, all year long. It's a welcome sight for many boats, from fun recreational boats to commercial fishing boats, traveling on Lake Huron.

In 1967, the old Fresnel lens was replaced with a modern plastic lens. Since 2006, the light and fog signal have been powered by the sun! The light is very bright and flashes a red beam every seven seconds. You can see it from about 16 miles (26 km) away. If it's foggy, boaters can call on their radio to make the fog signal sound. It blasts for three seconds every thirty seconds for about forty-five minutes.

Harbor Beach Light from Bathing Beach Park

The City of Harbor Beach now owns the lighthouse. The official transfer happened in 2010. A group called the Harbor Beach Lighthouse Preservation Society (HBLPS) was formed in 1984. They are working hard to restore the lighthouse. They have made it waterproof, improved its airflow, and fixed its floors, walls, and windows to look like they did originally.

The lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historic site in the United States. It's also on the State List for Michigan.

Visiting the Lighthouse

You can get a good view of the lighthouse from M-25 (Huron Avenue) in Harbor Beach. Turn east on Trescott Street and go to the end at Bathing Beach Park. You can see the lighthouse from the end of the Trescott pier. The Marina and Waterworks Park, on the north side of the city, also offer a great view.

Lighthouse and Harbor Timeline

Images for kids

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  Undated photo by the US Coast Guard.