Located not far
southeast of the Manitou Islands, is Grand Traverse Lighthouse. It marks the
entrance to Grand Traverse Bay, and was built in 1858. It once had a Fourth
Order Fresnel lens made by Barbier and Fenestre of Paris. A fog signal building
containing a compressed-air diaphone horn was added in 1899. The lens has been
removed, and the building no longer serves as a lighthouse. It became obsolete
in 1972, after the Coast Guard built a steel tower with an automatic light at
the tip of Cat Head's Point. You can easily visit the Grand Traverse Point
Lighthouse, as it is now part of Leelanau State Park in Michigan.
Although some people still call this facility "Cat's
Head Lighthouse," that name was never official. Early schooner skippers
referred to this light as "Cat's Head" because of nearby Cat's Head Bay. The
nickname caught on, and stuck.
The lighthouse at the tip of Leelanau Peninsula has guided ships in the Manitou Passage of Lake Michigan for over 150 years. This lighthouse is one of the oldest on the Great Lakes. It marks the end of Leelanau Peninsula and the west side of Grand Traverse Bay.
Locally called Cat's Head Light,
it was ordered built by President Millard Fillmore in July of 1850. A brick
tower with separate keeper's quarters was constructed at a site east of the
present Lighthouse in the state park campground. The house and tower were
deemed inadequate and razed in 1858 when the present structure was built. Still
visible is a portion of the foundation.
A new site was chosen on Lighthouse Point making the light visible from all waterways. In 1858 the present residence with its roof top tower and cupola sheathed in copper was erected of yellow brick. In 1901 the house was converted to separate quarters for two families. A kitchen was added to one of the apartments in 1916. The present frame back porches were built in 1953 when house and light were electrified.
A fourth order Fresnel Lens, replacing a smaller lens, was installed in the tower in 1870. At 47 feet above lake level, its magnified light approximated 15,000 candles, and was visible for 12 to 17 miles out on the lake. Fuel oils and kerosene powered the light until electrification in 1953. In 1972 the Coast Guard replaced the tower light with an automated beacon mounted on a steel skeletal tower. Orange diamond-shaped markers on the steel tower are aids to daytime navigation and are visible six to seven miles out on the lake.
In 1853 the keeper of Grand Traverse Lighthouse was
Deputy U.S. Marshall Philo Beers. Other Lighthouse keepers were Henry Beers,
Gilman Chase, Dr. H.R. Shetterly, John Hall, Captain Peter Nelson, George
Buttars, Reinhold Johnson, James McCormick, Paul Walters, Ernest Hutzler, and
Fred Leslie. Beginning in 1952 the lighthouse was occupied by Coast Guard
personnel until it was closed in 1972.
In 1899 a Fog Signal was added to the Light Station. A brick
building to house the equipment was constructed at a cost of $2,772.11, The 10
inch locomotive whistle was operated by steam. A firebox under the boiler
contained pine kindling and a supply of coal. It was ignited to produce a
quick, hot fire that built up a head of steam to sound the warning to
shipping.
Supplies of coal and kerosene and other lighthouse needs came by ship to a small dock in front of this building. Only a small rowing skiff was provided for the keeper since this lighthouse was not a rescue station.
In 1931 the steam whistle was replaced by an air diaphone horn. Power was supplied to an air compressor by diesel engines. Later, in 1953, a Worthington compressor was driven by a 440 volt electric motor. Diesel engines supplied emergency backup power. Compressed air went into storage tanks and was released by an electric timing mechanism. This caused the fog signal to start erupting its B-O's, alerting boats and ships to stay clear of Lighthouse Point, its name on all charts.
The fog signal faithfully did its job whenever Cat's Head Point (approximately 4 miles to the west) was not visible or when a fog bank was seen around the point. The signal could be heard the 8 miles to Northport and far out on the lake. Lighthouse inhabitants remember the fog signal as a heart stopping sound that sent them running deep inside the house to wait for the fog to lift.
The fog signal was discontinued in 1972 when the automated beacon was installed on the steel skeleton structure and a lighthouse keeper was no longer needed.
Grand Traverse Light Station has seen many changes. In its early days sailing ships carried cargo and passengers past the light. Steam replaced sail and the Manitou and Fox Islands became populated fueling stations in the era of wood burning boilers. Modern lake traffic uses electronic navigation but the Light remains maintained by Coast Guard personnel as a visual aid to navigation.
The Lighthouse and Fog Signal Building stood vacant
after closing in 1972. In 1985 a local group organized the Grand Traverse
Lighthouse Foundation with a goal of preserving the historic buildings and
creating an interesting and educational "living lighthouse" for the public to
enjoy.
Visit the historic Grand Traverse Lighthouse inside the Leelanau
State Park located 9 miles north of Northport, Michigan. Tour the restored
Keeper's home, climb the tower for a spectacular view of Lake Michigan and
visit the Fog Signal Building Gift Shop, and hear the restored foghorn. State
Park entry fee is required. There is an additional nominal fee for the
lighthouse.
The Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum is a non profit
organization. All lighthouse admission proceeds benefit the continued
restoration and preservation of the lighthouse.
The museum is open from May through October. In May,
the hours are 12:00 Noon to 4:00 pm. June through Labor Day, hours are 10:00 am
to 7:00 pm. In September and October, hours are 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. For
further information, call or fax (231) 386-7195 or email
gtlthse@gtii.com.
The purchase of a
Grand Traverse Lighthouse Foundation membership is the perfect way to support
the Lighthouse and to stay abreast of Lighthouse activities. A newsletter is
sent to all members. Members and guests are admitted free to the Lighthouse and
receive a discount at the gift shop. Activities and projects take place all
year long. Volunteers are needed to help with all aspects of the
organization.
Individual, Family, Sustaining, and Patron membership levels are available. To inquire about membership, contact the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Foundation, P.O. Box 43, Northport, MI 49670.