Beaver Island Harbor Light (or St. James Light) is a lighthouse located in St. James, Michigan, on the northern end of Beaver Island on Lake Michigan.[4] It has also been called "St. James Harbor Light" and "Whiskey Point Light". It is associated with a U.S. Coast Guard station, which was formerly a lifesaving station.[5] The tower is constructed of Cream City Brick.
 Whiskey Point (St. James Harbor, Beaver Island) | |
 | |
| Location | Beaver Island St. James, Michigan United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°44′34″N 85°30′31″W / 45.74278°N 85.50861°W |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1856 (original tower) 1870 (current tower) |
| Automated | 1927 |
| Height | 41 feet (12 m) |
| Shape | Cylindrical |
| Markings | White (Originally yellow) w/ black lantern |
| Light | |
| First lit | 1870 |
| Focal height | 38 feet (12 m)[1] |
| Lens | Fourth Order Fresnel |
| Range | 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) |
| Characteristic | ISO Red 6 seconds Light obscured from 127°30′ to 199°30[2] |
Beaver Island Light Station | |
| Nearest city | St. James, Michigan |
| Area | 64.2 acres (26.0 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001495[3] |
| Added to NRHP | December 29, 1978 |
Whiskey Point was originally named for the 1838 fur trading post that operated on the point, and for the commodity that was the post's chief item of sale. Soon afterward in the 1850s, St. James's Harbor on Beaver Island became established as a safe haven in a storm (an event quite common on Lake Michigan). The light was thus a natural extension of the emergency usage. The original light was constructed in 1856, and the light currently in use was constructed in 1870.[6]
At this time, the harbor is used by the Beaver Island ferry, so the light is still an active aid to navigation.
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U.S. Coast Guard Archive Photo
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Station without Keeper's Quarters, U.S. Coast Guard Archive Photo
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, St. James Harbor Light (Beaver Island)
- ^ Light List, Volume VII, Great Lakes (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Beaver Island Harbor Lighthouse. Retrieved on 2008-04-13.
- ^ History of the Beaver Island (Whiskey Point) Lights Archived 2008-10-10 at the Wayback Machine by the Beaver Beacon.
- ^ Terry Pepper. "Seeing the Light - Beaver Island Harbor Lighthouse". Archived from the original on 2 April 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
External links
edit- Aerial photos, Beaver Harbor Lighthouse, marinas.com.
- Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography for Charlevoix County.
- History of the Beaver Island (Whiskey Point) Lights by the Beaver Beacon.