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52-595: The light station was built in 1869 by the United States Lighthouse Board . The Board was in the midst of a lighthouse building boom on the Great Lakes due to increased maritime traffic, and in response to a large number of lost ships and men: Congress approved 70 lights on the western Great Lakes in thirty years: 28 in the 1850s, and 21 in each of the following decades. The location is roughly halfway between Alpena's Thunder Bay Island and

104-606: A short time. Resistance to the initiative developed, and over five thousand signatures were collected on petitions to "Save Our Light." Numerous public comments were submitted as part of the regulatory process. In due course, an arrangement was made whereby the light was left on (albeit with its operating expenses to be paid by the Alcona County Historical Society) and it was designated as an official "seasonal private aid to navigation." from April 1 through November 1. The Coast Guard reversed course after

156-550: A third order, and orders as a 3½-order Fresnel lens . The 3½-order Fresnel lens is still in place and was in use as of July 31, 2012. This is one of only 70 such Fresnel lenses that are still operational in the United States, sixteen of which are use on the Great Lakes, of which eight are in Michigan. In 1876, the light station was joined in its service by an adjacent United States Life-Saving Service station. There

208-716: A three-years restoration project. The keeper's house itself fell into disrepair until it was taken over by the Alcona Historical Society in 1982. Ownership was transferred from the Coast Guard to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources under the terms of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act , and operations are maintained by the Alcona Historical Society. The site is part of

260-477: Is a lessee at this time. Because of its picturesque form and location, it is often the subject of photographs, paintings, drawings, and even of needlepoint illustrations. In fact, it is also the setting of an illustrated children's storybook. The site supports sea grasses in many forms, goldenrod , Queen-Anne's lace , yarrow , and wild strawberry . Gulls , cormorant , killdeer , loons are frequent visitors, along with bald eagles that make their home on

312-638: Is authorized and required to cause a board to be convened at as early a day as may be practical after the passage of that act to be comprised of two officers of the Navy of high rank, two officers of Engineers of the Army, and such civil officers of scientific attainments as may be under the orders or at the disposition of the Treasury Department, and a junior officer of the Navy to act as Secretary to said board, whose duty it shall be under instructions from

364-435: Is fitted with Funck’s hydraulic float lamps, showing a fixed white light. The illuminating apparatus was in excellent condition with the exception of one of the spare burners which had been damaged. It was taken on board for repairs. A spirit lamp to aid in heating the oil in severe cold weather is required." However, for reasons unknown, there are conflicting reports as to the size of the present lens, with some reporting it as

416-404: Is no question that the presence of this light on this highly dangerous reef has forestalled "countless accidents." In 1875, a U.S. Life-Saving Service station was opened. The first light keeper became the first captain of the surf team. In 1915, this station became part of the U.S. Coast Guard . In 1939 the U.S. Lighthouse Service also merged under the control of the U.S. Coast Guard. In

468-614: The Corps of Engineers . When it became clear that this would not alleviate the underlying problems in the Lighthouse Establishment, Congress then felt compelled to deal the final blow to Pleasonton's administration. The ensuing congressional investigation took more than four years to effect a change in the administration of navigation aids along the American coasts. During that time, congressional appointee, Lt. Jenkins of

520-506: The East Coast , this was usually from April to November, and was called the "active season." By 1900, the active season had now become year-round. Most stations were in isolated areas and crewmen had to perform open beach launchings. That is, they were required to launch their boats from the beach into the surf. The Regulations of Life-Saving Service of 1899, Article VI, "Actions at Wrecks," Section 252, remained in force after creation of

572-407: The East Coast of the United States , causing the deaths of many sailors. This storm highlighted the poor condition of the equipment in the lifesaving stations, the poor training of the crews and the need for more stations. Additional funds were appropriated by Congress, including funds to employ a full-time keeper at each station and two superintendents. Still not officially recognized as a service,

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624-861: The Great Lakes and the Houses of Refuge in Florida . In 1878, the network of lifesaving stations were formally organized as a separate agency of the United States Department of the Treasury , called the Life-Saving Service. The stations of the Service fell into three categories: lifesaving , lifeboat , and houses of refuge. Lifesaving stations were manned by full-time crews during the period when wrecks were most likely. On

676-721: The Massachusetts coastline. Between 1848 and 1854 other stations were built and loosely managed. The stations were administered by the United States Revenue Marine (later renamed the United States Revenue Cutter Service ). They were run with volunteer crews, much like a volunteer fire department . In September 1854, a Category 4 hurricane , the Great Carolina Hurricane of 1854 , swept through

728-526: The Massachusetts Humane Society . It was recognized that only small boats stood a chance of assisting those close to the beach. A sailing ship trying to help near to the shore stood a good chance of also running aground, especially if there were heavy onshore winds. The Massachusetts Humane Society founded the first lifeboat station at Cohasset, Massachusetts . The stations were small shed-like structures, holding rescue equipment that

780-724: The Sturgeon Point State Park under the auspices of the Michigan DNR. During the planning stages of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary , the Sturgeon Point Light was proposed to mark the southernmost extent of the sanctuary, although the final sanctuary boundary was drawn short of the light. Nevertheless, 15 historic shipwrecks have been identified with place of loss listed as "Sturgeon Point". Indeed,

832-462: The United States , between 1852 and 1910. The new agency was created following complaints of the shipping industry of the previous administration of lighthouses under the Treasury's Lighthouse Establishment , which had had jurisdiction since 1791, and since 1820, been under the control of Stephen Pleasonton . The quasi-military board first met on April 28, 1851, and with its establishment,

884-560: The United States Coast Survey conducted interviews with pilots and mariners, engaged in domestic and foreign research, and was involved in a number of hearings into existing navigational aids administration. On March 3, 1851, the United States Congress passed "An Act Making Appropriations for Light House, Light Boats, Buoys, &c." Section 8 of the act stated: The Secretary of the Treasury

936-568: The United States Congress appropriated $ 10,000 to establish unmanned lifesaving stations along the New Jersey coast south of New York Harbor and to provide "surf boat, rockets, carronades and other necessary apparatus for the better preservation of life and property from shipwreck on the coast of New Jersey". That same year the Massachusetts Humane Society also received funds from Congress for lifesaving stations on

988-507: The United States Congress became serious about reforming the Lighthouse Establishment which had been in existence since 1791 and in response to a number of complaints, the U.S. Congress removed the responsibility for the construction of six new light stations from the U.S. Treasury Department's Fifth Auditor ( Stephen Pleasonton ), and transferred it to the supervision of the United States Army 's, long-time construction agency,

1040-575: The Coast Guard in 1915, and Section 252 was copied word for word into the new Instructions for United States Coast Guard Stations, 1934 edition. That section gave rise to the rescue crew's unofficial motto, "You have to go out, but you don't have to come back." Before 1900, there were very few recreational boaters and most assistance cases came from ships engaged in commerce. Nearly all lifeboat stations were located at or near port cities. Here, deep water, combined with piers and other waterfront structures, allowed launching heavy lifeboats directly into

1092-666: The Great Lakes Lighthouse Keeper Association, wrote on August 6, 2012: "I have measured it personally." As further proof, on July 22, 1870, the District Lampist visited the Station and made the following entry in his inspection journal: "Sturgeon Point, No. 449 – This is a new station first lighted to the opening of navigation this spring. The illuminating apparatus consists of a 3 ½ Order Fresnel lens of 270°, Henry Lepaute maker, and

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1144-625: The National Park Service. The station structure is also listed as a state historic site in February 1982. Additionally, it is on the National Register of Historic Places, Reference #84001370, Name of Listing: STURGEON POINT LIGHT STATION (U.S. COAST GUARD/GREAT LAKES TR) and is also on the state inventory, being listed in 1969. In 2006, the U.S. Coast Guard sought to forever darken the light, and in fact shut it off for

1196-556: The Ohio at Louisville, Kentucky , on the Ohio River . Houses of refuge made up the third category of Life Saving Service units. These stations were on the coasts of South Carolina , Georgia , and Florida . A paid keeper and a small boat were assigned to each house, but the organization did not include active manning and rescue attempts. It was felt that along this stretch of coastline, shipwrecked sailors would not die of exposure to

1248-544: The Treasury Department to inquire into the condition of the Lighthouse Establishment of the United States, and make a general detailed report and programme to guide legislation in extending and improving our present system of construction, illumination, inspection, and superintendence. The Lighthouse Board resulted from this mandate, and its original members consisted of William B. Shubrick , and Samuel F. Du Pont , U.S. Navy; James Kearney, U.S. Topographical Engineers; civilian academics Alexander Dallas Bache , Superintendent of

1300-536: The U.S. Coast Survey, and Joseph Henry , Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution ; and Lt. Thornton Jenkins, U.S. Navy, who acted as secretary. These men attracted others of similar quality to lighthouse duty, both on the board and in district offices. The country was organized into 12 lighthouse districts, each having an inspector (a naval officer) who was charged with building the lighthouses and seeing that they remained in good condition and that

1352-679: The administration of lighthouses and other aids to navigation would take their largest leap toward modernization since the inception of federal government control. In 1910, the Lighthouse Board was disestablished in favor of a more civilian Lighthouse Service , under the Department of Commerce and Labor ; later the Lighthouse Service was merged into the United States Coast Guard in 1939. By 1847,

1404-463: The base. The focal plane is listed by the Coast Guard at 69 feet (21 m), which would be the height from the "mean high water mark," That figure is important, in that it could be used by mariners to chart their location, using a method of triangulation to give them the distance to the light. The adjoining, two-story Lighthouse keeper ’s quarters was designed in the Cape Cod style and built of

1456-445: The bay. The following contact information may be of use to travelers: Sturgeon Point Lighthouse & Maritime Museum Sturgeon Point Road Harrisville, MI 48740 (989) 724-5107 United States Lighthouse Board The United States Lighthouse Board was the second agency of the U.S. federal government , under the Department of Treasury , responsible for the construction and maintenance of all lighthouses and navigation aids in

1508-537: The cold in the winter as in the north. Therefore, only shelters would be needed. The U.S. Volunteer Life-Saving Corps were meant to be a supplement to the U.S. Life-Saving Service. In some areas where there were no stations of the Life-Saving Service or the Humane Society, the USVLSC manned lifeboats and provided services on the coast and on inland waters. On January 28, 1915, President Woodrow Wilson signed

1560-668: The construction of the first lighthouses on the west coast. By the time of the Civil War, all lighthouses had Fresnel lenses. Previously, under the Establishment, the local collectors of customs were in charge of the lighthouses and other aids to navigation. In time, all duties regarding aids to navigation were taken from them. The Board demanded that only those who could read were to be appointed as keepers in order that they be able to read their written instructions. These instructions were detailed and covered everything possible about

1612-406: The lens was in operation. After a few years the inspectors became overloaded with work and an engineer (an army officer) was appointed to each district to tend to the construction and maintenance of lighthouses. The Lighthouse Board moved quickly in applying new technology, particularly in purchasing and installing new Fresnel lenses and constructing screw-pile lighthouses . The Board also oversaw

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1664-467: The nation's waterways. Iron buoys were introduced to replace the more expensive copper-clad wooden buoys. The Lighthouse Board also began printing changes made in aids to navigation as a Notice to Mariners . Several advances in the technology of fog signals were made during the 1850s. In 1851, an experimental air fog whistle and reed horn was installed at Beavertail Lighthouse at the entrance to Narragansett Bay , Rhode Island . At first this sound signal

1716-519: The next five decades several advances in lighthouse construction technology took place including the development of the exposed screwpile lighthouses, exoskeleton lighthouses, waveswept interlocking stone lighthouses, iron caisson lighthouses, and breakwater lighthouses. In the 1850s the Board prescribed color schemes for the buoys, as well as range lights and day markers; and the buoy system was standardized. Classification systems were also developed to mark

1768-401: The north, between Alpena and Thunder Bay Island. The Lighthouse Board further recognized that being able to navigate close to (but not over) the reef and the point would aid transport into and out of Saginaw Bay. It is made of brick masonry on an ashlar limestone foundation. The tower stands 70 feet 9 inches (21.56 m) in height, with a diameter of 16 feet (4.9 m) at

1820-410: The northern entry to Saginaw Bay . Importantly, this point sits atop a formidable reef that is an imminent hazard to navigation . Moreover, the area north of Sturgeon Point and south of Alcona, Michigan is a bay that can provide shelter from northerly and southerly winds and waves. Historically, this area is locally known as "Sanctuary Bay," which is in distinct contrast to "Misery Bay", the area to

1872-585: The operation of lighthouses, leaving little discretion to the keeper. The Board struggled to eliminate politics from its activities, and slowly the organization became a professional career agency, helped greatly by the Civil Service Reform Acts of 1871 and 1883. Keepers became civil service employees in 1896. Most important, the Board was constantly mindful of advancing technology and took advantage of new types of lighthouses, buoys, or fog signals, as well as improvement in lighthouse optics. Over

1924-474: The public pressure, and after the intervention of Senator Debbie Stabenow and the fresnel lens and the light remained on through July 2012. A transfer of ownership of the light itself, from the Coast Guard to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, is still languishing as of 2012 under the terms of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act . The Alcona County Historical Society

1976-534: The question of expanding the National Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve continues to be a subject of inquiry and discussion. Although the United States Coast Guard continues to operate the light, the property has been transferred to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources under the terms of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act . The transfer from the Department of the interior

2028-410: The same materials. At the time, the Board was often using this architectural motif. In fact, Poverty Island Light , built in 1874, is considered to be a "sibling" as it is a direct copy of Sturgeon Point. The light was set to begin its service with a sixth-order Fresnel lens / f r eɪ ˈ n ɛ l / which was upgraded to a 3½-order lens (that was originally installed at Oswego, New York ). It

2080-514: The same year the station was electrified and automated. By the 1940s, the light was fully automated, and the Coast Guard withdrew all personnel in 1941 and thereafter dismantled the life-saving station. One source claims (erroneously) that the lifesaving saving station and the lighthouse were "abandoned" in the 1940s; in point of fact personnel were withdrawn, but the light remains an active aid to navigation to this day. The lifesaving bell

2132-552: The stations and to allow the Secretary of the Treasury to employ full-time crews for the stations. Kimball instituted six-man boat crews at all stations, built new stations, and drew up regulations with standards of performance for crew members. By 1874, stations were added along the coast of Maine , Cape Cod , the Outer Banks of North Carolina , and Port Aransas , Texas . The next year, more stations were added to serve

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2184-574: The statue, under the Lighthouse Board's care from 1886 to 1902, marks the beginning of the "modern age" in lighthouse illumination. In 1900, the Lighthouse Board began converting lighthouses to electric service; however, because of the lack of direct access to power lines, the conversion came about slowly. This article contains information created by the US Federal Government and is in the public domain . United States Life-Saving Service The United States Life-Saving Service

2236-705: The system of stations languished until 1871 when Sumner Increase Kimball was appointed chief of the Treasury Department 's Revenue Marine Division. One of his first acts was to send Captain John Faunce of the Revenue Marine Service on an inspection tour of the lifesaving stations. Captain Faunce's report noted that "apparatus was rusty for want of care and some of it ruined." Kimball convinced Congress to appropriate $ 200,000 to operate

2288-548: The water by marine railways on inclined ramps. In general, lifeboat stations were on the Great Lakes , but some lifesaving stations were in the more isolated areas of the lakes. The active season on the Great Lakes stretched from April to December. An exception was the nation's first rescue center on the inland waterways, the United States Life Saving Station #10 , established in 1881 at the Falls of

2340-486: Was a United States government agency that grew out of private and local humanitarian efforts to save the lives of shipwrecked mariners and passengers. It began in 1848 and ultimately merged with the Revenue Cutter Service to form the United States Coast Guard in 1915. The concept of assistance to shipwrecked mariners from shore-based stations began with volunteer lifesaving services, spearheaded by

2392-488: Was an ordinary locomotive whistle, enlarged and modified and blown by steam from a high-pressure tubular boiler. The second was a reed-trumpet, and in 1866 the third variation, a siren-trumpet. Although the fog bell signal was still used for warning vessels over short distances, other fog signals started to supersede the smaller bell signal. Bells were also used on buoys; later whistling buoys were invented by J. M. Courtenay and were first in use in 1876. The first gas-lighted buoy

2444-562: Was effective May 2005. The Alcona Historical Society operates a museum in the restored historic buildings. The Sturgeon Point Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Sturgeon Point, on which the lighthouse is built, is a Michigan Scenic Site overseen by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources . It is listed as part of the National Maritime Heritage Program with

2496-458: Was installed in 1882. The gong buoy was invented in 1923. In 1876, under the management of Chief Clerk Arnold B. Johnson , the Lighthouse Board began to circulate and maintain traveling lighthouse libraries . These libraries would continue to be in service until the 1930s. In 1886, a new technology was tested in the illumination of the Statue of Liberty —electricity. The electrical lighting of

2548-450: Was one of only a dozen used around the country, most of which were on the Great Lakes. The other Great Lakes 3½-order lenses were at (in alphabetical order): DeTour Reef (two 3½-order lenses, after the bivalve lens broke), Eagle Bluff , Grays Reef , Huron Island , Michigan Island , St. Helena Island , and Toledo Harbor . The lens at Sturgeon Point is without a doubt a third-and-a-half order lens. As Terry Pepper, executive director of

2600-458: Was powered by a horse-operated treadmill and later by an internal combustion steam engine. Around 1851, mechanically rung fog bells were introduced. The striking mechanism was governed by a weight attached to a flywheel, and later internally run by clockworks. The strokes of the fog signals were timed deliberately to afford each signal a unique sound characteristic. The bell signal was gradually replaced by three variations of that instrument. The first

2652-505: Was stolen in 1951, and was "anonymously returned" in 2002 to the custody of the Alcona County Historical Society (according to a plaque at the light). The fog horn building was torn down. The brick outhouse , built in 1869, remains, however. The Life Saving station's foundation is still visible. The lifesaving watch tower also was torn down. In 1982 the Alcona Historical Society leased the light and began

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2704-488: Was to be used by volunteers in case of a wreck. The stations, however, were only near the approaches to busy ports and, thus, large gaps of coastline remained without lifesaving equipment. Formal federal government involvement in the lifesaving business began on August 14, 1848, with the signing of the Newell Act, which was named for its chief advocate, New Jersey Representative William A. Newell . Under this act,

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