Sand Hills Light facts for kids
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| Sand Hills Lighthouse | |
 Sand Hills Light
Location in Michigan
Sand Hills Light
Location in the United States
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| Location | Ahmeek, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 47°23′31″N 88°22′13.5″W / 47.39194°N 88.370417°W |
| Year first constructed | 1919 |
| Year first lit | 1919 |
| Automated | 1939 |
| Construction | Yellow brick |
| Tower shape | Square |
| Markings / pattern | natural with black lantern and trim |
| Height | 91 feet (28 m) |
| Focal height | 93 feet (28 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens with bullseye |
| Current lens | none |
| Range | 16 nautical miles; 29 kilometres (18 mi) |
| ARLHS number | USA-721 |
The Sand Hills Lighthouse is a historic building that used to be a working lighthouse. It is located on the shore of Lake Superior in Ahmeek, which is in Keweenaw County, Michigan. This area is part of the Keweenaw Peninsula, a northern tip of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Today, the lighthouse has been turned into a bed and breakfast, a place where people can stay overnight. In 1994, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places because of its important history.
Contents
Why Was the Sand Hills Lighthouse Built?
For many years, from 1857 to 1908, the Eagle River Light was the only lighthouse in a busy shipping area. This area was between the Keweenaw Waterway and Eagle Harbor Light. However, by the 1870s, the "copper boom" (a time when mining copper was very popular and profitable) ended. This caused the harbor in Eagle River, Michigan to become less active.
By the 1890s, very few ships were using the Eagle River harbor. Because of this, people suggested building a new lighthouse at Sand Hills. This spot was better because most lake traffic passed by there. They also suggested closing the Eagle River Light.
When Did the Lighthouse Start Working?
In 1893, the United States Congress (the group that makes laws for the country) agreed that a lighthouse should be built at Sand Hills. However, they did not provide any money to build it at that time. Meanwhile, the Eagle River Light was closed and sold in 1908. This meant there was no lighthouse in that area for a while.
Because there was no light, several ships ran aground (got stuck on the bottom) on the nearby Sawtooth Reef. To help prevent more accidents, the Sand Hills Light was finally approved to be built in 1917. It is located about halfway between Eagle Harbor Light and Ontonagon, Michigan.
How Was the Lighthouse Used?
The Sand Hills Lighthouse was finished in May 1919. For 20 years, it was a manned lighthouse, meaning three keepers lived and worked there to operate the light. The property also included an oil house, a garage, and a barracks building (a place for soldiers to live) built in 1916. There was also a concrete breakwater (a wall built in the water to protect the shore) from 1917.
The lighthouse originally had a special lens called a Fourth Order bullseye lens. It used an oil vapor lamp, and its light could be seen for about 9.6 nautical miles; 18 kilometres (11 mi).
In 1939, the Coast Guard took over the lighthouse. They made it automatic, so keepers were no longer needed to operate it.
During World War II, in 1942, the lighthouse was used as a training center for the Coast Guard. About 200 trainees lived and studied there at a time. In 1943, it stopped being a training center and went back to being just a lighthouse.
The Sand Hills Lighthouse continued to guide ships until 1954. It was then closed because new technologies like better weather forecasting and radar made it less necessary.
What Happened After It Closed?
After it was closed, the lighthouse sat empty for a few years. In 1958, it was sold at a public auction for $26,000 to H. Donald Bliss, an insurance agent.
In 1961, it was sold again to Bill Frabotta, a photographer and artist. He used the fog station building as a summer home. In 1992, Mr. Frabotta and his wife, Mary, started a big three-year project. They turned the entire lighthouse property into a beautiful Bed and Breakfast Inn. Mary Frabotta would play a 106-year-old piano for guests every evening. The inn was even named one of the "ten most romantic inns in America" by American Historic Inns. It was also rated highly for its gourmet breakfast.
In March 2019, the lighthouse was sold again to Edward “Bud” Cole. He is a historical preservationist who works to protect old buildings. His family has lived in the Keweenaw area since the 1850s. Mr. Cole also owns and takes care of the Eagle River Lighthouse and other important historic buildings in Eagle River, Michigan.
The original Fourth Order Fresnel lens from the Sand Hills Lighthouse is now on display. You can see it at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum in Detroit.
The Sand Hills Light is very similar to another lighthouse called the Scotch Cap Light. The Scotch Cap Light was built in 1940 on Alaska's Unimak Island. Sadly, it was destroyed on April 1, 1946, by a huge tsunami. The tsunami killed its five-man crew. This was the worst disaster ever for a land-based Coast Guard light station.
Visiting the Lighthouse
The Sand Hills Lighthouse is located in Ahmeek, Michigan. It is currently a private property. The grounds, lighthouse, and property are closed to the public during renovations until 2022.
Images for kids
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Undated USCG photo
