Harbor Beach Light

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Harbor Beach Light

Harbor Beach Light
Location: Harbor Beach, Michigan
Coordinates
WGS-84 (GPS)		 43°50′N 82°37′W / 43.833, -82.617
Year first constructed: 1858
Year first lit: 1885
Automated: 1968
Construction: Cast Iron, brick lining
Tower shape: Conical
Markings/Pattern: White
Height: 45 foot tower, 54 foot focal plane
Original lens: Fourth order Fresnel lens
Current lens: 300 mm Vega acrylic optic
Intensity: 20,000 candle power
Range: 15 - 22 Miles

Contents

[edit] Introduction

The Harbor Beach Lighthouse is a lighthouse located at the end of the north breakwater entrance to the harbor of refuge on Lake Huron> The breakwater and light were created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to protect the harbor of Harbor Beach, Michigan, which is is the largest artificial freshwater harbor in the world. Harbor Beach is in Huron County, Michigan, U.S.C.G. District 9. It is on the eastern edge of the Thumb.

[edit] History

Prior to the 1900's, this port was a major harbor of refuge and was the home of one of the most active lifesaving crews on Lake Huron. In the 1880's, a massive breakwater extension was constructed and many lake boats took shelter. Dozens of shipwrecks lay around the area, evidence of the boats that tried, but did not make, the shelter.

Since 1885, the Harbor Beach Breakwater Lighthouse has been an area of refuge to ships caught in the fury of Mother Nature and Lake Huron during stormy seas. This lighthouse replaced the wood skeleton lighthouse, built in 1877.

The lighthouse was built on a timber foundation crib. It is a conical, brick structure encased in cast iron plates. It is surmounted by a round cast iron watch room which supports a ten-sided, cast iron lantern. The light sits 54 feet above the harbor and can be seen for up to 20 miles out to sea. A concrete cap, partially faced with brick veneer, supports the 45-foot tower. Below the brick veneer, extending to the lake bottom is a timber cribbing filled with 100 to 300 pound of stones, which provides the added mass needed to prevent the structure from overturning or sliding.

In the lighthouse, the first deck housed a cook stove and was a living area. The next two decks were sleeping rooms. The fourth deck was used as a workroom and fifth was the watch room at the balcony level. The lantern room is located at the top on the sixth deck. The original Fourth Order Fresnel lens (pronounced [freɪ'nel]), made in Paris in 1884, is now on display at the Grice House Museum in Harbor Beach. Next to the Harbor Beach lighthouse was a small building, which contained equipment to operate the fog signal, but was removed when the light was automated.

Today the lighthouse is automated and a welcome sight for the many pleasure boats and fishermen that travel Lake Huron between Port Huron and the Saginaw Bay Area. It has a rotating white light with 20,000 candlepower with a visibility of 21 miles. It is a 300 mm Vega acrylic optic.[1] .[2]

[edit] Getting there

From M-25 (Huron Avenue) in Harbor Beach, turn east on Trescott Street and follow to its end at Bathing Beach Park. A good, distant shot of the lighthouse is available from the end of Trescott pier. In addition, the Marina and Waterworks Park, on the north end of the city, offers a good view of the lighthouse.

[edit] External links

[edit] Bibliography and further reading

[edit] References

  1. ^ Acrylic optic, with picture of Harbor Beach's light at Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light.
  2. ^ Harbor Beach Chamber of Commerce

[edit] See also

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