Minneapolis Shoal Light Station

Minneapolis Shoal Light Station

Location	Northern Green Bay, 6.6 miles (10.6 km) south of Peninsula Point, near Big Bay de Noc, Michigan
Coordinates	45°32′10″N 86°59′54″W / 45.53611°N 86.99833°W / 45.53611; -86.99833Coordinates: 45°32′10″N 86°59′54″W / 45.53611°N 86.99833°W / 45.53611; -86.99833
Year first constructed	1934[1]
Year first lit	1935[2]
Automated	1979[2]
Foundation	Concrete pier on concrete crib[2]
Construction	Steel, reinforced concrete[2]
Tower shape	Octagonal[2]
Markings / pattern	Cream colored[2]
Height	70 feet (21 m)[2]
Original lens	Fourth order Fresnel lens[2]
ARLHS number	USA-500[3]
USCG number
Minneapolis Shoal Light Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Area	0.6 acres (0.24 ha)
MPS	Light Stations of the United States MPS
NRHP Reference #	06001025[4]
Added to NRHP	November 15, 2006

The Minneapolis Shoal Light Station is a light house located in northern Green Bay, 6.6 miles (10.6 km) south of Peninsula Point near Big Bay de Noc, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.^[4]

History

Nineteenth century shipping traffic into Escanaba, Michigan went by way of Peninsula Point; to guide the traffic there, the Peninsula Point Light was established in 1856.^[1] However, by the 1930s, shipping traffic had shifted far south of the point, and in response funds were appropriated for the Minneapolis Shoal Light Station in 1932.^[1] Construction was completed in 1934,^[1] and the light was first lit in 1935.^[2] The station was later automated in 1979, and is still in use.^[2]

Description

The Minneapolis Shoal Light Station is a cream colored octagonal tower, constructed of reinforced concrete, with an integral keeper's house.^[2] It is a twin of Grays Reef Light Station, built at approximately the same time.^[5] The design is a modification of one created by F. P. Dillon and W. G. Will, which was used in Conneaut, Ohio and Huron, Ohio.^[5]

The Light Station sits on a square reinforced concrete pier, 30 feet (9.1 m) high and 64 feet (20 m) on a side.^[6] Atop the pier is a two-story base, 15 feet (4.6 m) high and 30 feet (9.1 m) on a side.^[6] The cellar and first floor of the base was built to house diesel generators, boilers, and compressors to provide power and heat to the light, fog signal, and keeper's quarters.^[5] The second floor of the base housed the keeper's quarters. The lighthouse tower is placed in the center of the building roof. The tower is 17 feet (5.2 m) tall, and tapers from 16 feet (4.9 m) at the base to 10 feet (3.0 m) beneath the gallery.^[5] The entire light is covered on the exterior with steel plates.^[6]

References

Lighthouses in Michigan Northern Upper Peninsula Au Sable Big Bay Point Copper Harbor Copper Harbor Front Range Crisp Point Eagle Harbor Eagle Harbor Range Lights Eagle River Fourteen Mile Point Grand Island East Channel Grand Island Harbor Rear Range Grand Island North Grand Marais Range Lights Granite Island Gull Rock Huron Island Isle Royale Manitou Island Marquette Breakwater Outer Marquette Harbor Mendota (Bete Grise) Munising Front Range Munising Rear Range Ontonagon Ontonagon Harbor West Breakwater Portage River (Jacobsville) Passage Island Rock Harbor Rock of Ages Sand Hills Sand Point Light (Baraga) St. Martin Island Stannard Rock Thunder Bay Island Whitefish Point Southern Upper Peninsula DeTour Reef Lansing Shoals Manistique East Breakwater Martin Reef Menominee Pier Minneapolis Shoal Naubinway Island Peninsula Point Poverty Island Sand Point Seul Choix Squaw Island St. Martin Island St. Mary's River Frying Pan Island Pipe Island Point Iroquois Round Island Light (St. Mary's River) Six Mile Point Range Rear Winter Point Range Front Portage River/Ship Canal Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Keweenaw Waterway Upper Entrance Portage Lake Rouleau Point Range Front and Rear Lights Straits of Mackinac Bois Blanc McGulpin Point Old Mackinac Point Round Island Round Island Passage St. Helena Island Western Lower Peninsula Beaver Island Harbor Beaver Island Head Big Sable Point Cedar River Charlevoix Charlevoix South Pier Frankfort Frankfort South Range Grand Haven North Pierhead Grand Haven South Pierhead Entrance Grand Haven South Pierhead Inner Grand Traverse Grays Reef Holland Harbor Ile Aux Galets Little Sable Point Little Traverse Ludington Manistee Pierhead Manning Memorial Mission Point Mission Point (1933) Muskegon Breakwater Muskegon Pier North Manitou Shoal Pentwater North Pierhead Pentwater South Pierhead Point Betsie Portage Lake South Fox Island South Haven South Manitou Island St. Joseph North Pier Inner St. Joseph North Pier Outer South Manitou Island Waugoshance White River White Shoal Eastern Lower Peninsula Alpena Caseville Harbor Charity Island Cheboygan Crib Cheboygan River Front Range DeTour Reef Detroit River Fort Gratiot Forty Mile Point Fourteen Foot Shoal Gibraltar Gravelly Shoal Harbor Beach Lake St. Clair Mariners Memorial Middle Island Miller Memorial New Presque Isle Old Presque Isle Peche Island Rear Range Poe Reef Pointe aux Barques Port Austin Port Sanilac Saginaw Bay Saginaw River Rear Range Spectacle Reef St. Clair Flats Front and Rear Range Light Sturgeon Point Tawas Point Thunder Bay Island Tri-Centennial Light of Detroit William Livingstone Memorial Windmill Point Historical (lost) lights Au Sable North Pierhead Belle Isle Clinton River Ecorse Ecorse Range Rear Gibraltar Grassy Island Grassy Island North Channel Range Lights Grassy Island South Channel Range Lights Grosse Ile North Channel Range Lights Grosse Ile South Channel Range Lights Harwood Point East Range Front Kalamazoo River Mama Juda Mama Juda Range Front Manistee Main Middle Lake George Monroe Pier New Buffalo North Manitou Island Saginaw Bay Sand Beach North Entrance East Squaw Point St. Mary's River Lower Range Front Vidal Shoals Channel Range Front and Rear Lights Windmill Point Range Front and Rear Lights Related Lightship Huron List of lifesaving stations in Michigan