New Presque Isle Light facts for kids

The New Presque Isle Light is a famous lighthouse built in 1870. It stands in Presque Isle, Michigan, near Grand Lake. This lighthouse is on a piece of land called a peninsula. Michigan has 149 lighthouses, which is more than any other state. Sometimes, a new lighthouse is built near an older one. This happens if the shoreline changes or the old building gets too old. The Old Presque Isle Light was the first one here.

History of the Presque Isle Light

Designing the Lighthouse

Major Orlando M. Poe from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designed this new lighthouse. He suggested it would cost about $21,000 more than planned. This amount was not too high, especially compared to other big projects he worked on. For example, he spent a lot building the Spectacle Reef Light. Poe was also a chief engineer during the Civil War. He worked for General William Tecumseh Sherman on his famous “March to the Sea.”

Building the Lighthouse

Once Poe had enough money, he gathered all the building materials. He also found workers and organized a construction team. In the summer of 1870, a ship called the Warrington brought the workers and supplies. This ship was a lighthouse tender. Lighthouse tenders were smaller ships that helped take care of lighthouses. They brought food, supplies, and building materials to the lighthouse stations.

The construction of the New Presque Isle Light finished in early summer 1871. The lighthouse base was 10 feet underground. The base was 19 feet wide and got narrower to 12 feet wide near the top. The new tower had double walls. These strong walls helped the lighthouse stand against harsh weather. Even though the winds on Lake Huron were not as rough as in some places, the walls kept the tower safe. A spiral cast iron stairway led the Lighthouse keeper up 138 steps to the top. This design was so good that other lighthouses copied it. These included Outer Island and Au Sable Point on Lake Superior. Also, Big Sable Point Light and Grosse Point Light on Lake Michigan used a similar structure.

A 16-foot covered walkway connected the tower to the keeper's house. This walkway protected the keepers when they went to the tower in bad weather. The house had a full cellar underground. Keepers stored their personal items and oil for the lamp there.

Understanding the Fresnel Lens

What is a Fresnel Lens?

The New Presque Isle Light used a special lens called a third-order Fresnel lens. It was six feet tall and made in Paris, France. A French inventor named Fresnel created this lens. It quickly became popular in lighthouses everywhere. This strong and efficient lens could shine light much farther than older methods. Before, lighthouses used open flames, whale oil, or small wicks.

The Fresnel lens system was a huge improvement. It became common in the United States and on the Great Lakes by the 1850s. This lens let only a small amount of light escape or spread out. Instead, it focused the light directly towards the water and ships. Fresnel achieved this by using many rings around the lens. These rings bent the light, making it shine in one strong direction. This meant boats on the Lakes could see a very bright light many miles away. This was very helpful for lake freighters or passenger ships lost in storms.

Why the Fresnel Lens Was Better

The Fresnel lens was also better than an older system called the Lewis system. This system used a curved mirror to direct light from a hollow-tube wick. Air flowing over the wick made the light brighter, like six or seven candles. But even with the mirrors, it did not produce as much light as the Fresnel lens. The Lewis system was also hard to clean and keep working. It needed constant repairs. So, the Fresnel lens was the best choice for lighthouses like Presque Isle.

The light at Presque Isle did not have a flashing system at first. However, it could have been added later. Often, boats tell different lighthouses apart by their flashing patterns. A light might rotate to shine 360 degrees, or a cover with a small opening might spin around the lamp. This would make the light flash for a few seconds. Heavy weights and gravity controlled this rotation. Keepers had to "wind up" the system every few hours. But Presque Isle's light was a steady, constant beam.

Life of a Lighthouse Keeper

Patrick Garraty was the first keeper of the new lighthouse. He had also been the fourth keeper of the old lighthouse. His wife, Mary, helped him as an assistant keeper. Later, in 1886, their 18-year-old son Thomas took over. He worked as the keeper until 1935.

Being a lighthouse keeper was a never-ending job. The station had to be kept very neat and tidy. The lens needed daily cleaning, a wash every two months, and a special polish once a year. Wicks had to be trimmed every day. The light towers also needed to be in top shape. This meant sweeping, shoveling snow, and other care. All these tasks had to be done before 10 AM, ready for the night. Many keepers also grew gardens on the property. These gardens provided fresh vegetables when supply ships did not come.

The Lighthouse Board regularly sent inspectors to check on the lights and stations. Ideally, their visits were a surprise. But telephones were installed at stations around the Lakes. This allowed keepers to warn others about upcoming visits. In a rush, keepers would clean the lenses and stations. The keeper and family would put on cleaner clothes. This helped them look more professional for the inspection. These inspections were taken very seriously.

Upgrades and Modernization

The Presque Isle Light Station after upgrades.

As time passed, bigger ships used Presque Isle Harbor. More improvements and construction were made. In March 1889, Congress gave $5,500 to build a steam fog signal. These loud horns helped ships in fog or stormy weather. They were useful when ships could not see the light. Sometimes, the fog distorted the sound. But the signals could be heard when the light could not be seen.

A problem with the steam signal was how long it took to start. It could take up to 45 minutes to light a boiler fire and wait for steam pressure. This could be dangerous for a ship needing immediate help. In those minutes, a ship might be delayed entering the harbor. Later, compressed air replaced the steam. This greatly reduced the time needed to prepare the signal.

In June 1890, a steam barge called the Ruby arrived. It brought workers and materials to build the fog signal building. They also built a 2,240-foot-long tramway. This track was used to transport tons of coal for the fog signal boilers. It also moved oil and other supplies from the dock. The crew also rebuilt the landing dock and boat house. In 1897, the lake levels dropped. So, the landing dock was extended by 120 feet.

Feeding the fog signal boilers was hard work. Doing these jobs daily often needed more than one keeper and one assistant. Commander Edward H Gheen, an inspector, reported that Presque Isle Light needed more than two men. Plans for a second house on the property were drawn. Congress gave $5,000 to build it. Work arrived on the ship Amaranth. The new house was built and finished by September 1905. The outer part of the boat landing and a new deck were also built. But for four years, no second assistant keeper was assigned. In November 1909, Arthur J. Cater came to fill the position.

In September 1912, a new lighting system was installed. It was called an incandescent oil vapor system. This system needed less cleaning. It also made the light hotter and brighter. Kerosene was forced into a hot chamber and turned into vapor. This vapor then burned very brightly in a mantle. This efficient system is similar to what campers use in smaller lanterns today.

In 1939, the Lighthouse Service became part of the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard then took control of the Presque Isle light. Indoor plumbing and electricity were added to the station. The fog signal building was torn down because it was no longer needed. The Coast Guard made the light automatic in 1970. They then boarded up the station building.

Recent Developments

In the 1990s, more bricks were added to this lighthouse. This made it wider, so it looks different from old photos.

The property was rented to the county as Presque Isle Park. In 1998, the county gained full control of it. Today, the Presque Isle Lighthouse is known as one of the tallest towers on the Great Lakes. Its light can be seen 22 nautical miles out in the water.

This light is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its listing name is NEW PRESQUE ISLE LIGHTHOUSE, reference number 83000890.

See also

• Lighthouses in the United States