Point Betsie Light

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Point Betsie Light
Point Betsie Lighthouse 2.jpg
Point Betsie Lighthouse
Location North of Frankfort, Michigan
Coordinates 44°41′29″N 86°15′19″W / 44.6913°N 86.2552°W / 44.6913; -86.2552Coordinates: 44°41′29″N 86°15′19″W / 44.6913°N 86.2552°W / 44.6913; -86.2552
Year first constructed 1858
Year first lit 1859?[1]
Automated April 1983
Foundation Concrete
Construction Cream City Brick
Tower shape Cylindrical
Markings / pattern White tower/Red roof
Height Tower - 37 feet (11 m)
Focal height Focal plane - 52 feet (16 m)
Original lens 4th order Fresnel Lens
Current lens VRB-25
Range 27.5 miles (44.3 km)
ARLHS number USA-616
USCG number 7-18370[2]
Point Betsie Light Station
Point Betsie Light is located in Michigan
Location within the state of Michigan
Location: Point Betsie, Frankfort, Michigan
Coordinates: 44°41′8″N 86°15′20″W / 44.68556°N 86.25556°W / 44.68556; -86.25556
Area: 2 acres (0.81 ha)
Built: 1858
Governing body: COAST GUARD
MPS: U.S. Coast Guard Lighthouses and Light Stations on the Great Lakes TR
NRHP Reference#: 94001430[3]
Added to NRHP: July 19, 1984

Point Betsie Light is located on the northeast shore of Lake Michigan — at the southern entrance to the Manitou Passage — north of Frankfort in Benzie County in Northern Michigan. Construction began in 1858, but it was not completed until 1858, and began service in the shipping season of 1859. The lighthouse cost $5000 to build. In 1875, a life saving station was built for $3000.[4]

Contents

[edit] History

The light was originally equipped with a Fourth Order Fresnel lens (pronounced /freɪˈnɛl/) with bullseye, which was upgraded to a Third order (with bullseye) in 1880. The latter was visible for 27.5 miles (44.3 km), because of the high placement of the tower (focal plane of 52.5 feet) and the efficacy of the lens design.[5] The Fresnel Lens was removed in 1996, and there are plans to display it[6] at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.[7]

The cylindrical tower is 39 feet (12 m) tall, but sits on a dune. It is attached to the Lighthouse keepers house, which was upgraded to an attractive gambrel roof design.[1]

This was one of the earliest Life Saving Station, and was run under the auspices of the U.S. Life-Saving Service. In 1910 the United States Lighthouse Board was reconstituted as the U.S. Lighthouse Service. In 1939 these agencies were merged under the control of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Prior to being automated in 1983, the 'wickies' operated the light for 106 years.[4] This was the last manned lighthouse on Lake Michigan[8] and the last Michigan lighthouse to lose its keeper.[9] The light is now a Vega VRB-25 system.[1] The new optic would be visible for a range of 15 to 22 miles (35 km), depending on the bulb used.[10]

In addition to the light tower, keeper's house, and lifesaving station, the site presently includes a fog signal building and an oil house.[8]

Fog signals have received much attention at Point Betsie. In the autumn of 1912, the fog signal building was rebuilt. The 10-inch (250 mm) locomotive whistles were replaced by 10-inch (250 mm) chime whistles. Meanwhile, the lamp was upgraded to an incandescent oil vapor system, with an intensity of 55,000 candlepower. In 1921, upon being connected to the electrical power grid, aa 110-volt electric bulb was installed, and the fog signal upgraded to twin Type "G" diaphones, driven by electric air compressors. The diaphone doubled the audible radius, and had the added benefit that it could be brought on line immediately, without waiting for steam engines to build pressure. The following April the fog signal's characteristic was changed to a group of two blasts every 30 seconds.[1]

The light is located on Point Betsie, Michigan, which in turn is part of a recognized terrestrial marine near shore ecosystem, dominated by a coastal dune with unique flora and fauna, including Pitcher's Thistle, Lake Huron Locust, and fascicled broomrape.[11]

[edit] Sign posted at lighthouse

Point Betsie Light & Coast Guard Family Housing Welcome to Point Betsie Lighthouse. The lighthouse, formerly the Point Betsie Lifesaving Station, was built in 1876. It began operation on April 23, 1877, and was manned and maintained by the U.S. Lighthouse Service. On July 1, 1939 the lighthouse service was merged with the U.S. Coast Guard. The lighthouse, manned for over 106 years was automated in April 1983. The light is 52 feet[12] above lake level and has a range of 27.5 miles.[13] The house was converted to apartments and now serves as housing for families of personnel assigned to Coast Guard station, Frankfort.

[edit] Current status

The station was transferred to Benzie County under the terms of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act in 2004.

It has been repainted to its original color scheme, which had not been seen since the 1940s. The "Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse" have undertaken a complete restoration of the station.[4]

Point Betsie is said to be one of America's most photographed lighthouses, and the most-visited attraction in Benzie County.[14] Because of its picturesque form and location, it is often the subject of photographs and drawings.[15] Even needlepoint illustrations have been rendered.[16]

It is listed on the National Register of Historical Places, Reference #84001375.[17]

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Point Betsie Light

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light on Point Betsie Light.
  2. ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the United States: Michigan's Western Lower Peninsula". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/miwl.htm. 
  3. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/. 
  4. ^ a b c Friends of the Point Betsie Light.
  5. ^ See Third Order Fresnel lens, Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light.
  6. ^ National Park Service, Inventory of historic light stations, Point Betsie.
  7. ^ Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore Visitors Bureau.
  8. ^ a b Wobser, David, Point Betsie Light at Boatnerd.com.
  9. ^ Lighthouse Central, Photographs, History, Directions and Way points for Point Betsie Light, The Ultimate Guide to West Michigan Lighthouses by Jerry Roach (Publisher: Bugs Publishing LLC - 2005). ISBN 0-9747977-0-7.
  10. ^ Vega VRB-25 250 mm acrylic optic, Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light.
  11. ^ Reid, Ron & Holland, Karen, Environmental Protection Agency.
  12. ^ 52 feet (16 m)
  13. ^ 27.5 miles (44.3 km)
  14. ^ Bibliography on Michigan lighthouses.
  15. ^ Mulgrew, Marilyn, Drawing of Point Betsie Light.
  16. ^ Needlepoint of Point Betsie Light.
  17. ^ Point Betsie lighthouse facts, Friends of Point Betsie.
A side view of the lighthouse 
Vintage image of the station 

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