Marquette Harbor Light facts for kids
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| Location | Marquette Harbor, Marquette, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 46°32′48.08″N 87°22′33.76″W / 46.5466889°N 87.3760444°W |
| Year first constructed | 1852 |
| Year first lit | 1853 |
| Foundation | Dressed stone/timber |
| Construction | Brick |
| Tower shape | Square |
| Markings / pattern | red with white lantern |
| Height | 40 feet (12 m) |
| Focal height | 77 feet (23 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel (original), Westinghouse DCB-36 Aerobeacon (current) |
| Intensity | 703,000 candlepower |
| Range | 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 10s |
The Marquette Harbor Light is a historic lighthouse located on Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan. This area is part of the Upper Peninsula. The lighthouse is still active today, helping boats find their way safely.
Contents
History of the Marquette Harbor Light
Building the First Lighthouse
To help ships navigate toward the important ore docks, the government approved money to build the Marquette Harbor Light in 1850. Construction started in 1852, and the light first shone in June 1853. However, this first building quickly started to fall apart. Because of this, more money was approved in 1865 to build a stronger replacement tower.
Protecting the Harbor with a Breakwater
In 1875, the Army Corps of Engineers built a long, 2,000-foot (610 m) breakwater. A breakwater is a barrier built in the water to protect a harbor from strong winds and waves. A powerful storm destroyed the original light in 1889. The new light now sits on a concrete base at the very end of this breakwater wall.
Lighthouse Technology Over Time
The first lighthouse used seven special 14-inch (360 mm) Lewis lamps to create its light. It also had a small, separate 24-by-30-foot (7.3 by 9.1 m) house for the lighthouse keeper. In 1853, the United States Lighthouse Board was created. This group worked to improve lighthouses across the country.
A big upgrade happened in 1856 when a Sixth Order French Fresnel lens was installed. A Fresnel lens is a special type of lens that can make a light beam much brighter and more focused. This new lens could be seen up to 10 nautical miles (19 km) away. Because of the often foggy and stormy weather, a foghorn was also very important for the lighthouse to work well.
In July 1899, the lighthouse was updated to use electricity, making it even more powerful. The light used today is a DCB-36 Aerobeacon. This modern light is very effective and is a good example of how lighthouse technology has changed over time.
The Current Lighthouse Building
Construction of the lighthouse you see today began in 1865. The keeper's house is 1.5 stories tall and looks similar to other lighthouses in the area, like those on Granite Island and Huron Island. Inside, there's a spiral staircase made of cast-iron that goes from the first floor up to the lantern room.
A new, fixed white Fourth Order Fresnel lens was placed at the top. This lens could shine light across 190 degrees. The light is 70 feet (21 m) above the lake, and on clear days, it can be seen for 10 nautical miles (19 km). In 1910, a second story was added to the keeper's house. The tower is directly connected to the keeper's house, which is built in a "schoolhouse" style.
Fog Signals and Keepers
The area around the lighthouse used to have three different fog signals. The loudest one was in a separate building, and there was one on each breakwater. Each signal had its own unique sound to help ships know where they were.
Working at the Marquette Harbor Light was considered very difficult. By 1882, after 29 years, ten different lighthouse keepers had either been removed from their jobs or had quit.
In 1891, a station for the U.S. Life-Saving Service opened on the lighthouse grounds. This service helped rescue people from shipwrecks. In 1915, it became part of the U.S. Coast Guard. Later, in 1939, the U.S. Lighthouse Service also joined the Coast Guard. This meant all the facilities at the lighthouse were under the same control. During World War II, the site became a training station for the Coast Guard, with up to 300 recruits living there. The Coast Guard station next to the lighthouse is still active today.
The original 4th order Fresnel lens from the Marquette Harbor Light was moved to the Marquette Breakwater Outer Light in 1908. You can now see this historic lens on display at the museum.
Current Status of the Lighthouse
In April 1983, the Coast Guard took down the old fog signal building. Only its foundation remains today.
This lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. It was also listed on the state's historical inventory in 1969.
In 2002, the Marquette Maritime Museum signed a 30-year agreement to take care of the lighthouse. The museum is now in charge of its upkeep and operations. They offer tours of the lighthouse to the public. On the lighthouse's 150th anniversary in July 2016, the Coast Guard officially gave ownership of the lighthouse to the City of Marquette.
The lighthouse is open for tours through the Marquette Maritime Museum every day except Monday. Tours are held at 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:30 pm. You can visit from mid-May through mid-October.
See also
- Lighthouses in the United States
Marquette Maritime Museum
