We visited this lighthouse on a dusky fall day and I fell in love with the light as it filtered through the trees. The light was first lit with a 4th Order Fresnel lens on May 1 1897. The 12’ square 52’ tall white painted brick tower is integrated into the red brick dwelling between 2 duplicate private apartments for the keeper and assistant.
The light was discovered to be in the wrong place in 1913. It should have been built 20 miles northeast on Nine Mile Point. Since it was to expensive to move, in July 1914, the light was upgraded to increase its range to 16 miles to compensate the distance. The station was automated in 1969. The light is now divided into a museum on one side and a caretakers quarters. Check out the website: www.40milepointlighthouse.org for more information. For cards and prints go to www.michiganlighthouseart.com
0 Comments
This is my Christmas card for 2020. The front range light at Presque Isle Harbor was built in 1870. It stood 21’ tall the wooden tower painted white with a red top and green trim at the water’s edge and paired with the rear range light guided ships into the harbor. It was replaced in 1967 by a small steel tower. The light is still useful as a marker greeting anyone on the road to Old Presque Isle Lighthouse. In this painting it is decked out for Christmas and shining it’s bright green light. I WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS!
South Manitou Island Lighthouse is a graceful beautiful tall light located 16 miles west of Leland, MI and in good weather accessible by ferry. This tower was built in 1872 replacing the first light built in 1 832. The conical brick tower is 91” above it’s foundation with a 3rd Order Fresnel lens that shone 17.5 miles out and is one of five “Poe” tall towers in Michigan waters. It is painted white with black trim and Italianate bracketed. It overlooks the Manitou Passage that stretches 300 miles from Chicago to the Straits. 1000 ships passed each day, but it was still dangerous. South Manitou Island was the only safe harbor for large ships in 300 miles.
The light was decommissioned in 1958 and is now protected by the National Park Service and the South Manitou Island Lighthouse Society. The lantern room was restored and a replica 3rd order Fresnel lens was installed in 2008. The light was reactivated in May 2009 and it is lit from May to Nov. For more information go to www.lighthousefriends.com and for prints and cards go to www.michiganlighthouseart.com/gallery |
AuthorMichigan Artist, Anita Saviko, Her goal is to research the histories and paint all Michigan lighthouses/range lights past and present, a total of spprox. 150 lights. Categories
All
Archives
July 2021
|