Granite Island (Michigan)

Infobox Islands
name = Granite Island


image caption =
locator
location map|Michigan|label=Granite Island|mark=Green pog.svg|lat_dir=N|lat_deg=46|lat_min=43|lat_sec=15|lon_dir=W|lon_deg=87|lon_min=24|lon_sec=41
map_custom = yes
native name = Na-Be-Quon Island
native name link =
location = Lake Superior, Michigan
coordinates=coord|46|43|15|N|87|24|41|W|type:isle
archipelago =
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country = Michigan
country admin divisions title = County
country admin divisions = Marquette County
country largest city =
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ethnic groups =Infobox_Lighthouse
name= Granite Island Lighthouse


caption = Granite Island lighthouse
location = Granite Island, Michigan
coordinates =
yearbuilt = 1868
yearlit = 1869
automated = 1937
yeardeactivated =
foundation =
construction =
shape =
marking = red brick with white lantern
height = Tower - convert|40|ft|m
elevation = Focal plane - convert|93|ft|m [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/lists/focalheight.htm Terry Pepper, List of focal Planes.] ]
lens = Fourth order Fresnel lens
currentlens =
intensity =
range = convert|10|mi|km [ [http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pubs/LightLists/V7COMPLETE.PDF Volume 7, US Coast Guard Lightlist (PDF).] ] (new tower)
characteristic = white flash 6 seconds.
admiralty =
NGA =
ARLHS = USA-333
USCG = 7-14700 [ Note: the USCG number relates to the new tower, and the ARLHS number is the old lighthouse. [http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/miup.htm Lighthouse Digest, Michigan Upper Peninsula lights (University of North Carolina).] ]

Granite Island is a 2 1/2 acre island in Lake Superior located about convert|12|mi|km northwest of Marquette in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. Posted upon it is the Granite Island Lighthouse, also known as Granite Island Light Station.

Geography

The island is granite rock that rises nearly perpendicularly to convert|60|ft|m above the surface of Lake Superior, surrounded by deep water. The Native Americans called it to Na-Be-Quon Island. [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/superior/granite/granite.htm Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light, Granite Island Light.] ] That apparently meant something like 'vessel'. They called a steam ship an "ishcoda nabequon." which was roughly translated as 'fire vessel.' [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=BWCURY04O2oC&pg=PA212&lpg=PA212&dq=Na-Be-Quon+&source=web&ots=4lczwln5Ra&sig=zNLqyvOYbmc-BKGXGOSeakZIcgc&hl=en#PPA212,M1 Schoolcraft, Henry Rowe, "Narrative of the Expedition of 1820" (1855, Lippincott, Grambo, and Co.) 596 pages (Original from Harvard University, Digitized Sep 14, 2006), p. 212.] ]

Navigational aid

On March 2, 1867, Congress appropriated $20,000 for construction of the lighthouse on the island. In 1868, spring brought the arrival of the lighthouse tender "Haze", which landed a construction crew and building supplies. Flattening the top of the island to provide a foundation was difficult and required blasting. Davits were installed, as there was originally no plan for a dock. After a lengthy delay, a fog signal was installed. Life on the island was difficult, and did entail loss of life. [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/superior/granite/granite.htm Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light, Granite Island Light.] ]

Because it was positioned near the busy shipping lanes of the mid-1800s, a lighthouse was built on Granite Island in 1868 by the U.S. Lighthouse Board and commissioned in 1869. [ [http://clarke.cmich.edu/lighthouses/index.htm Wagner, John L., Beacons Shining in the Night, Michigan Lighthouse Bibliography, Chronology, History, and Photographs, Clarke Historical Library, Central, Michigan University.] ]

The Lighthouse keeper's dwelling and the square tower attached to it are built of cut stone with white limestone decorations on the corners and windows. The 1½-story dwelling shares its design with lighthouses found on Gull Rock and Huron Island as well as the Marquette Harbor Light. There is an existing Fog Signal Building, which was constructed in 1910 to replace the one originally built in 1879. It is made of structural steel and is a bell tower. The bell was the one from the light at Thunder Bay Island Light, and has been removed. [ [http://www.michiganlights.com/graniteislandlh.htm Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, Granite Island Light.] ]

Lighthouse keepers and assistant keepers operated Granite Island Light until 1937 when the facility was automated and the living quarters were abandoned. Aids to navigation consisted of a 4th order Fresnel lens and a fog bell tower. The focal height is convert|89|ft|m. At one time it had a red flash every 90 seconds. [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/superior/granite/granite.htm Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light, Granite Island Light.] ]

Private ownership

Modern navigation moved shipping lanes away from the island and the light, and farther out into Lake Superior. [ [http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/Superior/GraniteIsland.htm Wobser, David, "Granite Island Light," Boatnerd.com] ] This tended to make the Coast Guard view it as "surplus," and it was put up for private sale. The sale in fact helped precipitate a later reaction by the U.S. Congress, which enacted a preference for selling such facilities to communities and charitable organizations under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, which was sponsored by Michigan Senator Carl Levin and passed in 2000. Nevertheless, this island's sale and its results have advocates. [* [http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=3991 LaFave, Michael (Mackinac Center), "Privatization Shines" (article on the general subject of privatization of lighthouses.] ]

Granite Island and the lighthouse were purchased by Scott and Martine Holman in 1999 from the U.S. Coast Guard. The facilities underwent a three year restoration process at large expense, and which has inured to the public good. [ [http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=3997 Excerpt from LaFave, Michael (Mackinac Center), "Privatization Shines" specifically on Granite Island.] ] The house was completely gutted and rebuilt, with waste being boated out and materials bought in. This is a challenging place to reach and live upon – they have to transport all of their water in, for example; composting toilets must be used, so not many visitors are welcomed. The web site, www.graniteisland.com, has live camera feeds, history, videos of the restoration process and photographs and discussion of its ecology and geology. The lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-04-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park ServiceReference #83000884] [ [http://www.michiganlights.com/graniteislandlh.htm Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, Granite Island Light.] ]

Current status

Despite its remoteness, and because of its picturesque location, form and color it is often the subject of photographs, and drawings. [ [http://home.rochester.rr.com/mjm/light2.html Mulgrew, Marilyn, Drawing of Granite Island Light.] ]

Although the island is privately owned, an automated aid to navigation on a gray steel tower (with a convert|96|ft|m focal plane) and a range of convert|10|mi|km is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. Its characteristic is a white flash every 6 seconds. [ [http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pubs/LightLists/V7COMPLETE.PDF Volume 7, US Coast Guard Lightlist (PDF).] ]

Granite Island Light is one of 149 lighthouses in Michigan. Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state. See Lighthouses in the United States.

The highest recorded wind speed on the island was 143 miles per hour on January 18, 2003. [ [http://www.graniteisland.com/weather.shtml Granite Island weather station.] ]

Additional reading

* [http://www.michiganlighthouse.org/bibliography.html Bibliography on Michigan lighthouses.]
* Crompton, Samuel Willard & Michael J. Rhein, "The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses" (2002) ISBN 1592231020; ISBN 978-1592231027.
* Hyde, Charles K., and Ann and John Mahan. "The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes." Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1995. ISBN 0814325548 ISBN 9780814325544.
* Jones, Ray & Bruce Roberts, "American Lighthouses" (Globe Pequot, September 1, 1998, 1st Ed.) ISBN 0762703245; ISBN 978-0762703241.
* Jones, Ray,"The Lighthouse Encyclopedia, The Definitive Reference" (Globe Pequot, January 1, 2004, 1st ed.) ISBN 0762727357; ISBN 978-0762727353.
* [http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=3991 LaFave, Michael (Mackinac Center), "Privatization Shines" (article on the general subject of privatization of lighthouses.]
* Noble, Dennis, "Lighthouses & Keepers: U. S. Lighthouse Service and Its Legacy" (Annapolis: U. S. Naval Institute Press, 1997). ISBN 1557506388; ISBN 9781557506382.
* 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 9780942618785 ISBN 9781893624238.
*
* Putnam, George R., "Lighthouses and Lightships of the United States", (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1933).
* Splake, T. Kilgore. "Superior Land Lights". Battle Creek, MI: Angst Productions, 1984.
* Stonehouse, Frederick. "Marquette Shipwrecks". Marquette, MI: Harboridge Press, 1974.
* United States Coast Guard, "Aids to Navigation", (Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1945).
* [http://www.uscg.mil/History/weblighthouses/h_lhbib.asp United States Coast Guard, "Aids to Navigation Historical Bibliography".]
*
* Wagner, John L., "Michigan Lighthouses: An Aerial Photographic Perspective", (East Lansing, Michigan: John L. Wagner, 1998) ISBN 1880311011 ISBN 9781880311011.
* Wargin, Ed, "Legends of Light: A Michigan Lighthouse Portfolio" (Ann Arbor Media Group, 2006). ISBN 9781587262517. [ [http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17447_39583-134430--,00.html Michigan History Arts and Letters, review of "Legends of Light: A Michigan Lighthouse Portfolio", which has many pictures of this light.] ]
* Wright, Larry and Wright, Patricia, "Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia" Hardback (Erin: Boston Mills Press, 2006) ISBN 1550463993.

Notes

ee also

* Lighthouses in the United States

External links

* [http://marinas.com/view/lighthouse/731 Aerial photos, Granite Island Light, marinas.com.]
* [http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080520/SPECIAL01/80519001 Detroit News, Interactive map on Michigan lighthouses.]
* [http://www.graniteisland.com/ Granite Island Light Station (including webcams).]
* [http://www.lighthousesrus.org/Maps/GL/SuperiorCentral.htm Interactive map of lighthouses in area ("Central" Lake Superior).]
* [http://www.nps.gov/history/maritime/light/granite.htm Inventory of Historic Lights, National Park Service, Granite Island Light.]
* [http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/miup.htm Lighthouse Digest, Michigan Upper Peninsula lights (University of North Carolina).]
* [http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=727 Lighthouse friends, Granite Island Lighthouse.]
* [http://www.michiganlights.com/graniteislandlh.htm Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, Granite Island Light.]
* [http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/superior/granite/granite.htm Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light, Granite Island Light.]
* [http://www.marquettecountry.org/lighthouse.php Marquette country on Granite Island light.]
* U.S. Coast Guard [http://www.uscg.mil/history/weblighthouses/LHMI.asp 's complete list of Michigan lights with photographs and descriptions, including Granite Island Light.]
* [http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pubs/LightLists/V7COMPLETE.PDF Volume 7, US Coast Guard Lightlist (PDF).]
* [http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/Superior/GraniteIsland.htm Wobser, David, "Granite Island Light," Boatnerd.com.]