Beaver Island Head Light

Infobox_Lighthouse


caption = Beaver Island Head Light (waterside view)
location = Beaver Island, Charlevoix County, Michigan
coordinates = coord|45|34|35|N|85|34|21|W|name=Beaver Island Light Station|region:US_type:landmark
yearlit = 1858
automated =
yeardeactivated = 1962
foundation = reinforced concrete
construction = brick
shape = cylindrical (attached Victorian lightkeeper house) [ [http://www.michiganlights.com/beaverheadlh.htm Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, Beaver Head Lighthouse.] ]
marking = yellow (natural) w/grey lantern and parapet, red roof
height = Tower - convert|46|ft|m [ [http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/lists/towers.htm Terry Pepper, database on heights and focal planes.] ]
elevation = Focal plane - convert|103|ft|m
lens = 14 Lewis lamps and reflectors
currentlens = Fourth Order Fresnel lens removed & on display
range = convert|16|mi|km [After 1858 upgrade. [http://www.uscg.mil/history/weblighthouses/LHMI.asp U.S. Coast Guard complete list of Michigan lights, including Beaver Head (Beaver Island) Light.] ]
characteristic =

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 history of Beaver Head is well documented by [http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/michigan/beaverhead/beaverhead.htm Terry Pepper] and photographed in [http://www.lighthousecentral.com/lighthouse_gallery.php4?lighthouse=Beaver%20Head%20Lighthouse The Ultimate Guide to West Michigan Lighthouses by Jerry Roach] .

The 46-foot cylindrical was built in 1858, to replace and 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. [ [http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/Michigan/beaverhead.htm Wobser, David, Beaver Head (Beaver Island) Light at boatnerd.com.] ]

In 1915, the 22' x 40' 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. [ [http://www.michiganlights.com/beaverheadlh.htm Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, Beaver Head Lighthouse.] ] That same year, the original Fourth Order Fresnel lens was removed and placed in the dwelling, where it can still be seen. [ [http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/Michigan/beaverhead.htm Wobser, David, Beaver Head (Beaver Island) Light at boatnerd.com.] ]

In 1975, the Charlevoix Public Schools acquired the site for One ($1.00) Dollar. After some vandalism was incurred, in 1978 the District founded an alternative school for youth aged 16-21. [ [http://www.michiganlights.com/beaverheadlh.htm Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, Beaver Head Lighthouse.] ] It has operated an Environmental and Vocational Educational Center in the keepers dwelling. Maintenance and restoration of the structure is part of the curriculum. [ [http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/Michigan/beaverhead.htm Wobser, David, Beaver Head (Beaver Island) Light at boatnerd.com.] ] Beginning in 1978, recurrent summer work/study programs greatly restored the station, which was then opened as a school. [ [http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/miwl.htm Lighthouse Digest, Beaver Island Head Light, University of North Carolina.] ]

In 2003, a grant was obtained to repair spalling of the exterior brick work on the fog signal building. [cite web |url=http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/michigan/beaverhead/beaverhead.htm |title=Seeing the Light - Beaver Head Light |author=Terry Pepper |accessdate=2008-08-23]

In 2005 the state granted $23,000 for oil house restoration. [ [http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/miwl.htm Lighthouse Digest, Beaver Island Head Light, University of North Carolina.] ]

It is listed on National Register of Historical Places as Reference #78001495, Name of Listing: BEAVER ISLAND LIGHT STATION. It is also on the State List/Inventory. [ [http://www.michiganlights.com/beaverheadlh.htm Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, Beaver Head Lighthouse.] ]

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.
* 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).
* 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.
* Wright, Larry and Wright, Patricia, "Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia" Hardback (Erin: Boston Mills Press, 2006) ISBN 1550463993.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.beaverbeacon.com/2004-06-June/One_Hundred_Years_Ago_June_2004.shtml Bartels, Joyse, Beaver Island Head Light history] in the Beaver Beacon, June 2, 1904.
* [http://www.clarke.cmich.edu/localhistory/Charlevoix.htm Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography for Charlevoix County.]
* [http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080520/SPECIAL01/80519001 Detroit News, Interactive map on Michigan lighthouses.]
* [http://www.lighthousesrus.org/Maps/mapIt.htm?file=GL/MichiganNorth.xml Interactive map of Lights in Northern Lake Michigan, mapped by Google.]
* [http://lighthousesrus.org/MichiganNorth.htm Interactive map/list/information of lighthouses in northeastern Lake Michigan] by LighthousesRus
* [http://www.lighthousecentral.com/lighthouse_gallery.php4?lighthouse=Beaver%20Head%20Lighthouse Lighthouse Lighthouse Central, Photographs, History, Directions and Way points for Beaver Island Head Light, "The Ultimate Guide to West Michigan Lighthouses" by Jerry Roach (Publisher: Bugs Publishing LLC - 2005).] ISBN 0-9747977-0-7.
* [http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/miwl.htm Lighthouse Digest, Western Michigan lights, Beaver Island Head Light, University of North Carolina.]
* [http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=205 Lighthouse Friends, Beaver Island Head Light.]
* [http://www.lighthousefriends.com/macstraits.html Lighthouses in the Mackinac Straits, Lighthouse Friends.]
* [http://www.michigan.gov/documents/hal_mhc_shpo_lightmap_50933_7.pdf Map of Michigan Lighthouses] in PDF Format.
* [http://www.michiganlights.com/beaverheadlh.htm Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, Beaver Head Lighthouse.]
* [http://www.michiganlighthouse.org/LH_list/beaver_head.htm Michigan lighthouse fund, Beaver Head Light.]
*National Park Service, [http://www.nps.gov/history/maritime/light/beaver.htm Inventory of Historic Light Stations, Beaver Head Light.]
*cite web |url=http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/michigan/beaverhead/beaverhead.htm |title=Seeing the Light - Beaver Head Light |author=Terry Pepper |accessdate=2008-08-23
*U.S. Coast Guard's [http://www.uscg.mil/history/weblighthouses/LHMI.asp complete list of Michigan lights, including Beaver Head (Beaver Island) Light.]
* [http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pubs/LightLists/V7COMPLETE.PDF Volume 7, USCG Lightlist for the Great Lakes (PDF).]
* [http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/Michigan/beaverhead.htm Wobser, David, Beaver Head (Beaver Island) Light at boatnerd.com.]