Minneapolis Shoal Light Station facts for kids
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 Minneapolis Shoal Light Station
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Northern Green Bay, 6.6 miles (10.6 km) south of Peninsula Point, near Big Bay de Noc, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 45°32′10″N 86°59′54″W / 45.53611°N 86.99833°W |
| Year first constructed | 1934 |
| Year first lit | 1935 |
| Automated | 1979 |
| Foundation | Concrete pier on concrete crib |
| Construction | Steel, reinforced concrete |
| Tower shape | Octagonal |
| Markings / pattern | Cream colored |
| Height | 70 feet (21 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens |
| ARLHS number | USA-500 |
The Minneapolis Shoal Light Station is a special lighthouse in northern Green Bay. It's about 6.6 miles south of Peninsula Point, near Big Bay de Noc, Michigan. This important building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
Why Was This Lighthouse Built?
Long ago, in the 1800s, many ships sailed into Escanaba, Michigan. They used a lighthouse called the Peninsula Point Light to find their way. This lighthouse was built in 1856.
But by the 1930s, ships were taking a different route. They were sailing much farther south of Peninsula Point. So, a new lighthouse was needed to guide them safely.
Money was set aside for the Minneapolis Shoal Light Station in 1932. The lighthouse was finished in 1934. Its light first shone in 1935. Later, in 1979, the station became automated. This means it could run by itself without people living there all the time. It is still helping ships today!
What Does the Lighthouse Look Like?
The Minneapolis Shoal Light Station is a cream-colored tower. It has eight sides, making it an octagonal shape. It's made from strong, reinforced concrete. The building also includes a house for the lighthouse keeper.
This lighthouse looks very much like another one called the Grays Reef Light Station. They were both built around the same time. The design for these lighthouses was a changed version of a plan by F. P. Dillon and W. G. Will. Their original design was used for lighthouses in Conneaut, Ohio and Huron, Ohio.
The Light Station stands on a square base made of reinforced concrete. This base is 30 feet tall and 64 feet wide on each side. On top of this base is a two-story building. This building is 15 feet tall and 30 feet wide on each side.
The bottom floor and first floor of this building held important machines. These included diesel generators, boilers, and compressors. They provided power and heat for the light, the fog signal, and the keeper's living area. The second floor of the building was where the lighthouse keeper lived.
The lighthouse tower itself sits in the middle of the building's roof. The tower is 17 feet tall. It gets narrower as it goes up. It starts at 16 feet wide at the bottom and tapers to 10 feet wide just below the top platform. The outside of the entire lighthouse is covered with steel plates.
