Fort Gratiot Light

Infobox_Lighthouse


caption =
location = Port Huron, Michigan
coordinates = coord|43|0|22|N|82|25|20|W
yearbuilt =
yearlit = 1829
automated = 1933
yeardeactivated =
foundation = Dressed stone and timber
construction = Brick
shape = Conical attached to workroom
marking = White
height = Tower - convert|85|ft|m
elevation = Focal plane - convert|82|ft|m [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/lists/focalheight.htm Database on Focal Plane, Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light.] ]
lens = Fourth order Fresnel Lens
currentlens = DCB-24 Aerobeacon
intensity =
range = convert|21|mi|km
characteristic = Fl Green 6 seconds [ [http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pubs/LightLists/V7COMPLETE.PDF Volume 7, US Coast Guard Lightlist (PDF).] ]
fogsignal = Station will give available information on fog conditions in upper river by radiotelephone when requested, (156.80 MHz). Standby light of reduced intensity lighted throughout 24 hours.
admiralty =
NGA =
ARLHS = USA-291
USCG = 7-1001

Fort Gratiot Light, the first lighthouse in the state of Michigan, was constructed north of Fort Gratiot in 1829 by Lucius Lyon, who later became one of Michigan's first U.S. Senators. [ [http://www.phmuseum.org/lighthouse/lighthouse.htm Fort Gratiot lighthouse] ]

The Fort Gratiot light marks the entrance to the St. Clair River from Lake Huron (going south) in the southern portion of Michigan's Thumb. The light is still active and the grounds are an active Coast Guard Facility, but has recently been handed over to the Port Huron Museum. It is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Michigan. There is also a public beach and park on the property, known as Lighthouse Beach.

History

With the completion of the Erie Canal, traffic in the Great Lakes decreased dramatically. Coal was being brought from Michigan, Stone (and more timber) was being brought from Wisconsin and the entrance to the St. Clair River became a bottle neck. In 1823, Congress appropriated $3500 to construct a light in "Michigan Territory" near Fort Gratiot. The contract for construction of the lighthouse and keepers dwelling was awarded to Captain Winslow Lewis of Massachusetts. Lewis was the inventor of the patented Lewis lamp, which the Fifth Auditor had universally adopted as the primary source of illumination in the nation's growing inventory of lighthouses. A staunch supporter and ally of the Fifth Auditor, Lewis had branched out into the business of lighthouse construction, and as the frequent low bidder, was being awarded a growing number of contracts to fulfill the nation's need for navigational aids on the East Coast.

Lewis sub-contracted the construction of the tower and keepers dwelling that would become known as the "Fort Gratiot Light" to Mr. Daniel Warren of Rochester New York. Work commenced on the structure, but appears to have been running far beyond the scope of the original bid, since Congress appropriated an additional $500,000 for the project's completion on April 2, 1825. [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/huron/fortgratiot/index.htm Terry Pepper on Fort Gratiot Light] ]

Even with the major cost overrun, it became quickly apparent that the structure was both poorly designed and constructed. George McDougall, a former Detroit Lawyer of some ill repute was selected as the lights' first official keeper. McDougall's reports indicated that the stairs were so steep that they had to be climbed sideways, and the trapdoor into the lantern room was barely large enough for a man to squeeze through. While McDougall no doubt reported with truth on this situation, it must be noted that he was reputedly a short man with a weight in excess of 300 pounds, and as such hired an assistant to perform all of his tower work! [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/huron/fortgratiot/index.htm Terry Pepper on Fort Gratiot Light] ]

McDougall's concerns were supported when the tower was damaged during a storm in the fall 1828, and later fell down. Congress reacted swiftly and appropriated $8000 for a new tower in 1829. The new tower was 65' tall and 25' in diameter and it was outfitted with the Lewis Lamp system (powered by whale oil) that was the then standard.

Soon after its establishment in 1852, the new US Lighthouse Board determined that the Lewis Lamps universally accepted by the prior Pleasonton administration were significantly inferior to the French Fresnel lenses being adopted throughout the rest of the world. After conducting successful trials of the new lenses in a few East Coast lights, the Board decided to upgrade all lenses throughout the system. As a result, the Lewis Lamps were removed from Fort Gratiot in 1857, and the tower was refitted with a Fourth Order Fresnel Lens, which had an intensity of at least four times that of the old Lewis lamps. [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/huron/fortgratiot/index.htm Terry Pepper on Fort Gratiot Light] ]

As lake shipping continued to rise dramatically in the early second half of the century, it was determined that the Fort Gratiot Light needed further upgrading. To this end, in 1862 the Government increased the height of the tower to 82 feet, and the Fourth Order Fresnel was replaced with a larger Third Order Lens, showing a fixed white light. The old Fourth Order lens was taken to Saginaw and installed in the Saginaw River Lighthouse. [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/huron/fortgratiot/index.htm Terry Pepper on Fort Gratiot Light] ]

The fog signal building was added in 1900, and a Coast Guard facility was constructed on land south of the lighthouse complex in 1932. The two facilities merged in 1939.

The light current has a DCB-224 aero beacon [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/closeups/illumination/aerobeacon/dcb224.htm Aero beacon, Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light.] ] manufactured by the Carlisle & Finch Company. [ [http://www.carlislefinch.com/marine/aidsnav.htm Carlisle & Finch Company.] ] Putting aside questions of nostalgia, aesthetics, or appreciation for the engineering of a bygone era (as exemplified by the Fresnel lens), this iteration of lighthouse illumination is itself incredibly effective, and an endangered remnant of another bygone era. [ [http://www.stormheroes.com/aton/dcb36.htm DCB-36 Aerobeacon, Stormherocs.com.] ]

While the grounds are closed to the public, there's a city park just north of the light, so you can get an excellent view from the beach. If you are returning from Canada to Port Huron, you can see this light on the right hand side of the car from most of the Blue Water Bridge.

This light is the oldest light still in active service. To find the light, just follow the coast north from Port Huron (just past the bridge) or look on the [http://www.lighthousesrus.org/Maps/GL/HuronW.htm lighthousesRus] site to see all the lights in this corner of the lake. See also the External links hereafter.

Closed for repairs

The Coast Guard closed the lighthouse to visitors in August 2008 due to deteriorating brickwork and falling debris. A structural assessment and repairs will take place before the tower can reopen to the public. [http://www.mlive.com/ap/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-56/1218821642219930.xml&storylist=topstories]

Notes

Further 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.
* 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.
* Stonehouse, Frederick. "Marquette Shipwrecks". Marquette, MI: Harboridge Press, 1974.
*
* 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).
* [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.

External links

* [http://marinas.com/view/lighthouse/299 Aerial photos, Fort Gratiot Light, marinas.com.]
* [http://www.michigan.org/travel/attractions/?m=2;9 A more comprehensive (and interactive with geographic locations) listing of Michigan lighthouses and museums, complete with pictures and descriptions.]
* [http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080520/SPECIAL01/80519001 Detroit News, Interactive map on Michigan lighthouses.]
* [http://www.phmuseum.org/lighthouse.html Port Huron Museum: Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, touring information, including webcam]
* [http://www.lighthousesrus.org/HuronW.htm Interactive map, list, information for lighthouses in North and West Lake Huron.]
* [http://www.lighthousecentral.com/lighthouse_gallery.php4?lighthouse=Fort%20Gratiot%20Lighthouse Lighthouse Central, Fort Gratiot Lighthouse Photographs, History and Directions, "The Ultimate Guide to East Michigan Lighthouses" by Jerry Roach] (Publisher: Bugs Publishing LLC - July 2006).] ISBN 0974797715; ISBN 9780974797717.
* [http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/miel.htm Lighthouse Digest, Fort Gratiot Light, University of North Carolina.]
* [http://www.michiganlighthouse.org/lighthouse_detail.php24.htm Michigan Lighthouse fund, Fort Gratiot light.]
* [http://www.michiganlighthouse.org/MLFHome.html Michigan Lighthouse organization.]
* [http://www.michigan.gov/documents/hal_mhc_shpo_lightmap_50933_7.pdf Map of Michigan Lighthouse] in PDF Format.
* [http://www.nps.gov/history/maritime/light/gratiot.htm National Park Service, inventory of historic lights, Fort Gratiot light.]
* United States Coast Guard [http://www.uscg.mil/history/weblighthouses/LHMI.asp 's complete list of Michigan lights, including Fort Gratiot Light.]
* [http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pubs/LightLists/V7COMPLETE.PDF Volume 7, US Coast Guard Lightlist (PDF).]
* [http://www.us-lighthouses.com/displaypage.php?LightID=219 U.S. Lighthouses, Fort Gratiot Light.]
* [http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/Huron/FtGratiot.htm Wobser, David, Boatnerd.com Fort Gratiot Light.]