The Beaver Head Light is located high on a bluff on the southern tip of Beaver Island. Boats trying to navigate North on Lake Michigan need to carefully work their way between Beaver Island and Gray's Reef.
The 46-foot (14 m) cylindrical tower was built in 1858, to replace an 1852 tower. The decagonal lantern room offers panoramic vistas of the Lake. The tower is open to the public from 8:00 a.m. though 9:00 p.m. during the summer.
In 1866, the attached yellow brick lighthouse keeper's dwelling was constructed. A frame addition was added to the keepers quarters to accommodate assistant keepers.[6]
In 1915, the 22-by-40-foot (6.7 m × 12.2 m) fog signal building was constructed. Other outbuildings on the grounds including an oil house, garage and storage building and outhouse.
A radio beacon was placed in 1962, at which time the station was decommissioned and declared surplus.[3] That same year, the original Fourth Order Fresnel lens was removed and placed in the dwelling, where it can still be seen.[6]
In 1975, the CharlevoixPublic Schools purchased the site for $1.00. After some vandalism was incurred, in 1978 the District founded an alternative school for youth aged 16–21.[3] The school district has operated an Environmental and Vocational Educational Center in the keepers dwelling. Maintenance and restoration of the structure is part of the curriculum.[6] Beginning in 1978, recurrent summer work/study programs greatly restored the station, which was then opened as a school.[7]
In 2003, a grant was obtained to repair spalling of the exterior brick work on the fog signal building.[8] A state grant awarded two years later provided $23,000 for oil house restoration.[7]
^Terry Pepper. "Seeing the Light – Beaver Head Light". from the original on 30 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
Further readingEdit
Crompton, Samuel Willard & Michael J. Rhein, The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses (2002) ISBN1-59223-102-0.
Hyde, Charles K., and Ann and John Mahan. The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1995. ISBN0-8143-2554-8
Jones, Ray & Bruce Roberts, American Lighthouses (Globe Pequot, September 1, 1998, 1st Ed.) ISBN0-7627-0324-5.
Jones, Ray, The Lighthouse Encyclopedia, The Definitive Reference (Globe Pequot, January 1, 2004, 1st ed.) ISBN0-7627-2735-7.
Noble, Dennis, Lighthouses & Keepers: U. S. Lighthouse Service and Its Legacy (Annapolis: U. S. Naval Institute Press, 1997. ISBN1-55750-638-8.
Oleszewski, Wes, Great Lakes Lighthouses, American and Canadian: A Comprehensive Directory/Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses. Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, Inc., 1998. ISBN0-932212-98-0.
Penrod, John, Lighthouses of Michigan (Berrien Center, Michigan: Penrod/Hiawatha, 1998) ISBN0-942618-78-5.
Pepper, Terry. . Archived from the original on 2008-01-30.
Putnam, George R., Lighthouses and Lightships of the United States. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1933).
United States Coast Guard, Aids to Navigation, (Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1945).
Price, Scott T. "U. S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation: A Historical Bibliography". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office.
Wagner, John L. "Beacons Shining in the Night: The Lighthouses of Michigan". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University.
Wagner, John L., Michigan Lighthouses: An Aerial Photographic Perspective. East Lansing, Michigan: John L. Wagner, 1998. ISBN1-880311-01-1.
Wright, Larry; Wright, Patricia, Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia. Erin: Boston Mills Press, 2006. ISBN1-55046-399-3.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beaver Island Head Lighthouse.
U.S. Coast Guard Archive Photo
Bartels, Joyse, Beaver Island Head Light history in the Beaver Beacon, June 2, 1904
Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography for Charlevoix County
Detroit News, Interactive map on Michigan lighthouses
October 24, 2023
beaver, island, head, light, beaver, head, light, located, high, bluff, southern, beaver, island, boats, trying, navigate, north, lake, michigan, need, carefully, work, their, between, beaver, island, gray, reef, waterside, view, locationbeaver, island, charle. The Beaver Head Light is located high on a bluff on the southern tip of Beaver Island Boats trying to navigate North on Lake Michigan need to carefully work their way between Beaver Island and Gray s Reef Beaver Island Head LightBeaver Island Head Light waterside view LocationBeaver Island Charlevoix County MichiganCoordinates45 34 35 N 85 34 21 W 45 57639 N 85 57250 W 45 57639 85 57250TowerConstructed1858 Foundationreinforced concreteConstructionbrickHeight46 feet 14 m 1 Shapecylindrical attached Victorian lightkeeper house 3 Markingsyellow natural w grey lantern and parapet red roofHeritageNational Register of Historic Places listed place Michigan state historic site LightFirst lit1858Deactivated1962Focal height103 feet 31 m Lens14 Lewis lamps and reflectorsRange16 nautical miles 30 km 18 mi 2 Beaver Island Light StationU S National Register of Historic PlacesMichigan State Historic SiteLocationEast Side DrivePeaine Township MichiganNRHP reference No 78001495 4 Significant datesAdded to NRHPDecember 29 1978Designated MSHSApril 5 1974 5 The 46 foot 14 m cylindrical tower was built in 1858 to replace an 1852 tower The decagonal lantern room offers panoramic vistas of the Lake The tower is open to the public from 8 00 a m though 9 00 p m during the summer In 1866 the attached yellow brick lighthouse keeper s dwelling was constructed A frame addition was added to the keepers quarters to accommodate assistant keepers 6 In 1915 the 22 by 40 foot 6 7 m 12 2 m fog signal building was constructed Other outbuildings on the grounds including an oil house garage and storage building and outhouse A radio beacon was placed in 1962 at which time the station was decommissioned and declared surplus 3 That same year the original Fourth Order Fresnel lens was removed and placed in the dwelling where it can still be seen 6 In 1975 the Charlevoix Public Schools purchased the site for 1 00 After some vandalism was incurred in 1978 the District founded an alternative school for youth aged 16 21 3 The school district has operated an Environmental and Vocational Educational Center in the keepers dwelling Maintenance and restoration of the structure is part of the curriculum 6 Beginning in 1978 recurrent summer work study programs greatly restored the station which was then opened as a school 7 In 2003 a grant was obtained to repair spalling of the exterior brick work on the fog signal building 8 A state grant awarded two years later provided 23 000 for oil house restoration 7 The light station is listed on National Register of Historic Places reference 78001495 It is also on the State List Inventory 3 Contents 1 See also 2 Notes 3 Further reading 4 External linksSee also EditBeaver Island Harbor LightNotes Edit Terry Pepper database on heights and focal planes After 1858 upgrade Historic Light Station Information and Photography Michigan United States Coast Guard Historian s Office Archived from the original on 2017 05 01 a b c d Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy Beaver Head Lighthouse National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service 2009 03 13 Archived from the original on 2008 07 25 Retrieved 2010 08 03 State of Michigan 2009 Beaver Island Light Station Archived from the original on 2012 05 11 Retrieved June 26 2010 a b c Wobser David Beaver Head Beaver Island Light at boatnerd com Archived from the original on 2008 10 08 Retrieved 2008 08 24 a b Rowlett Russ Lighthouses of the United States Michigan s Western Lower Peninsula The Lighthouse Directory University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Terry Pepper Seeing the Light Beaver Head Light Archived from the original on 30 September 2008 Retrieved 2008 08 23 Further reading EditBibliography on Michigan lighthouses Crompton Samuel Willard amp Michael J Rhein The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses 2002 ISBN 1 59223 102 0 Hyde Charles K and Ann and John Mahan The Northern Lights Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes Detroit Wayne State University Press 1995 ISBN 0 8143 2554 8 Jones Ray amp Bruce Roberts American Lighthouses Globe Pequot September 1 1998 1st Ed ISBN 0 7627 0324 5 Jones Ray The Lighthouse Encyclopedia The Definitive Reference Globe Pequot January 1 2004 1st ed ISBN 0 7627 2735 7 Noble Dennis Lighthouses amp Keepers U S Lighthouse Service and Its Legacy Annapolis U S Naval Institute Press 1997 ISBN 1 55750 638 8 Oleszewski Wes Great Lakes Lighthouses American and Canadian A Comprehensive Directory Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses Gwinn Michigan Avery Color Studios Inc 1998 ISBN 0 932212 98 0 Penrod John Lighthouses of Michigan Berrien Center Michigan Penrod Hiawatha 1998 ISBN 0 942618 78 5 Pepper Terry Seeing the Light Lighthouses on the western Great Lakes Archived from the original on 2008 01 30 Putnam George R Lighthouses and Lightships of the United States Boston Houghton Mifflin Co 1933 United States Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Washington DC U S Government Printing Office 1945 Price Scott T U S Coast Guard Aids to Navigation A Historical Bibliography United States Coast Guard Historian s Office Wagner John L Beacons Shining in the Night The Lighthouses of Michigan Clarke Historical Library Central Michigan University Wagner John L Michigan Lighthouses An Aerial Photographic Perspective East Lansing Michigan John L Wagner 1998 ISBN 1 880311 01 1 Wright Larry Wright Patricia Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia Erin Boston Mills Press 2006 ISBN 1 55046 399 3 Light List Volume VII Great Lakes PDF Light List United States Coast Guard External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beaver Island Head Lighthouse nbsp U S Coast Guard Archive PhotoBartels Joyse Beaver Island Head Light history in the Beaver Beacon June 2 1904 Clarke Historical Library Central Michigan University Bibliography for Charlevoix County Detroit News Interactive map on Michigan lighthouses Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Beaver Island Head Light amp oldid 1170241820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
