Ninth District Lighthouse Depot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Ninth District Lighthouse Depot
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 128 N. Pier, St. Joseph, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Area | 1.7 acres (0.69 ha) |
| Built | 1891 |
| Built by | US Army Corps of Engineers |
| Architect | Major William Ludlow |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 93001348 |
| Added to NRHP | December 2, 1993 |
The Ninth District Lighthouse Depot is a group of historic buildings in St. Joseph, Michigan. It was once a very important place for supplying lighthouses around Lake Michigan. Today, it's home to the Saint Joseph River Yacht Club. This historic site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 because of its importance.
Contents
History of the Lighthouse Depot
A Busy Time for Lighthouses
Long ago, lighthouses were super important for guiding ships safely. The first lighthouses on Lake Michigan were built in 1832. By 1852, there were 27 lighthouses just on Lake Michigan! Across all the Great Lakes, there were 76 lighthouses.
To manage all these lights, the government created "districts." Most of the Great Lakes lighthouses were in the eleventh district, based in Detroit. Later, in 1866, a new ninth district was made just for Lake Michigan.
At first, the ninth district shared supplies with the Detroit depot. But Lake Michigan kept getting more lighthouses, reaching 81 by 1890! Sharing a depot became difficult, especially in winter.
Building the St. Joseph Depot
Because of the growing number of lighthouses, a new supply depot was needed. In 1891, the government gave $35,000 to build a depot in St. Joseph's harbor. Major William Ludlow, an engineer from the United States Army Corps of Engineers, designed the buildings.
Construction started in 1891. By early 1893, the main buildings were finished. These included a large storehouse, a home for the keeper, and a shop for carpenters and lamp repairers. Another storehouse and shop building was likely added around 1909 or 1910.
The depot was used to receive, fix, and store buoys and their parts. It also delivered supplies to lighthouse keepers throughout the district.
Changes and New Uses
Even after the St. Joseph depot was built, it was still quite far from Milwaukee, where the ninth district's main office was located. So, in 1904, money was given to build a second depot in Milwaukee.
The St. Joseph depot was the main one until 1916. Then, the Milwaukee depot became the most important. The St. Joseph depot closed in 1917. In 1918, it was given to the Navy to use as a naval station.
The buildings likely served as a base for the Michigan Naval Militia until 1927. In 1936, the depot was given to the state of Michigan. It continued to be used by naval groups until about 1950. Later, it housed army reserves starting in 1952, and then the Michigan Army National Guard from 1956.
In 1997, the buildings were updated to become the Lighthouse Depot Brewpub and Restaurant. This restaurant closed in 2001. After that, the buildings were sold to the Saint Joseph River Yacht Club, which uses them today.
What the Depot Looks Like
The Ninth District Lighthouse Depot has four main buildings. These are the keeper's home, the large storehouse, the carpenter and lampist shop, and another storehouse/shop.
Keeper's Dwelling
The keeper's dwelling is a two-story house. It has a special roof shape called a cross-gable. The first floor walls are made of brick, and the second floor has shingles.
Storehouse
The storehouse is a tall, three-story building made of brick. It also has extra space in its hip roof. The building is about 40 feet by 40 feet. It has parts that stick out in the middle, including a tower at the front. The doors are square-shaped, and there's limestone trim around the building.
Carpenter and Lampist Shop
The carpenter/lampist shop is a single-story brick building. It has a hip roof and measures about 50 feet by 20 feet. The doors and windows have arched tops. There's also a covered porch at the front. This building was later changed to be a home for the assistant keeper.
Storehouse/Shop
The storehouse/shop is another single-story brick building with a hip roof. It is about 62 feet long and 26 feet wide.
