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Our Lights!
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American Lighthouse Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 565
Rockland,
Maine 04841
Phone: 207-594-4174
info@lighthousefoundation.org
The American Lighthouse Foundation is a
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization dedicated to the preservation of America's historic lighthouses.
SEARCH ALF WEB
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This feature appeared in the Great Lakes Lighthouse Yearbook,
2001-October 2002...
Two-day Stay on Middle Island
By Darryl Beers
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| No man is an island. But in this case,
one man is alone on an island. For two days and two nights, I will be
the sole inhabitant (of the human variety) on Middle Island, surrounded
by the azure waters of the Great Lake, Huron.
Located about halfway between Thunder Bay Island and
Presque Isle |
ALF Collection
Middle Island Lighthouse
Michigan
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(hence the name Middle Island)
this 264 acre emerald isle is home to Middle Island Lighthouse – the reason
that I am here. As a Great Lakes photographer, I am seeking to add another
notch on my camera in the quest to photograph as many Great Lakes
lighthouses as I possibly can.
I am the privileged of the Middle Island Lighthouse Keepers Association (MILKA).
Established in 1992, this volunteer organization has dedicated their time
and resources to the restoration and preservation of the Middle Island Light
Station.
Captain Mike has piloted me the two miles from the mainland in a 28-foot
pontoon boat. With the lake at near record low water levels, a flat bottom
boat is the only viable means of reaching the island and docking at the
makeshift pontoon dock. Upon landing, Captain Mike gets me settled in my
home for the next two days – a small hunting shack that I would be sharing
(unknowingly at the time) with the island’s resident bats.
After stowing my gear, we hop onto a Kawasaki Mule – a small 4-wheel work
vehicle, which is our transportation to the light station where Captain Mike
will give me a guided tour. It is a bumpy ride down this rugged and narrow
cedar-lined trail. After about three-quarters of a mile, the trail widens
and green cedars give way to blue skies suspended over the never ending
horizon of Lake Huron. We have arrived! I now get my eagerly anticipated
first look at the Middle Island Light Station.
Commissioned on June 5, 1905, the lighthouse was built at this site to help
guide ships through what had become known as Shipwreck Alley. |
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Photo Courtesy Lighthouse Digest
Historic photo of
Middle Island Lighthouse
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This 288 square mile area is noted for
its severe storms, dangerous shoals and blanketing fog – all factors
contributing to over 50 known shipwrecks. Thus station was manned until
1961 when the light was automated. The light has remained operational
and the light tower has been maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. But the
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rest of the
station was abandoned – left to fend for itself against the forces of both
nature and vandalism.
I am immediately impressed by the vastness of this light station. Seven
buildings are sprawled over a ten-acre parcel of land. The structures
include the light tower, keeper’s quarters, fog signal building, oil house,
tool/wood shed and two privies – with a connecting network of over 500 feet
of sidewalk.
One of the first things I notice is that all buildings (excluding the light
tower) have matching, red shingle roofing, which shines brightly under the
morning sun. Captain Mike explains how the new roofs had been the top
priority when MILKA volunteers began the restoration process. And this is no
ordinary roofing.
The roofs are comprised of the Berridge Classic Shingle design and custom
made by the Berridge Manufacturing Company in Houston, Texas. These shingles
are exact replicas of nineteenth century metal roofing shingles. Each
individual shingle costs $2.20, plus shipping charges. Over 20,000 shingles
were needed to complete the job. That adds up to a lot of money. And a lot
of work!
All shingles, roofing materials, scaffolding, etc. were transported to the
island on a small pontoon boat. From the dock they were then hauled to the
light station on the other end of the island. (The first year this hauling
was done with a human powered hand wagon!). In addition, all old roofing
shingles were removed and taken off the island. This entire process took
over four years to complete and was accomplished with all volunteer help.
Captain Mike then leads me into the fog signal building, which is being
converted into a bed and breakfast. The interior walls have been lined
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| with aromatic cedar paneling and the two
former coal bins are now cozy bedrooms with brand new bunk beds. Beds
have also been installed in an upstairs loft, which can sleep an
additional six people. A raised platform, which formerly housed the fog
horn generator, is now a convenient kitchen area. Outdoor showers
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Photo courtesy Marv Theut
The 300-acre island in Lake Huron,
where Middle Island Light is located.
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have been added
and a wrap-around deck affords a magnificent view of Lake Huron.
This bed and breakfast has been designed to accommodate families as well as
couples and individuals. It will open in October 2001 in conjunction with
the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival held in Alpena on October 11, 12, 13 and
14.
Guests of the bed and breakfast will have the opportunity to combine their
stay with a cruise, which will allow them to view five area lighthouses from
the water. The cruise will also stop at Presque Isle where participants can
visit a lighthouse museum and climb the lighthouse tower.
Starting in 2002, the bed and breakfast will be open from May through
October. Proceeds will be equally divided between MILKA and the Great Lakes
Lighthouse Festival’s shared fund (For further information, contact MILKA at
989-595-3600).
The keeper’s quarters will also eventually be converted into a bed and
breakfast. This will be a lengthy process and is expected to take an
additional three to five years to complete. Plans call for restoring the
keeper’s quarters to its near original state, from the period 1905-1939.
In the meantime, the number one priority in MILKA’s restoration efforts has
been getting the exterior work completed on all the buildings at the light
station. Each structure needs to be protected from the elements before any
interior work can be completed. In addition to the new roofing, the footings
in all buildings were dug out (by hand) and re-stuccoed. The chimneys on the
keeper’s quarters have been repaired, all buildings have been sealed off to
keep both the elements and critters out and much of the outside has been
painted.
Remember that 500 feet of sidewalk I mentioned earlier? Over 300 feet of it
has been restored /replaced. Sand and stone was hauled to the site in 150
five-gallon buckets, along with countless bags of cement and a small mixer.
This was no simple task!
Before leaving the
light station I take a compass reading, compute where the sun will rise and
make some mental notes about how I will |
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Photo by Jerry Biggs
Middle Island Light, Michigan
from a 1997 photo.
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approach
tomorrow’s early morning photography. I then bid farewell to Captain
Mike, first agreeing on a rendezvous time for my departure from the
island.
Following a
sumptuous lunch of beans and crackers, I set out exploring my island
paradise. I am drawn to an area of dilapidated buildings and wander
among the ruins of what I would later find out is a former lifesaving
station.
Officially
titled, Middle Island Life-Saving Station: # 253, it |
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was commissioned
in 1881. Old photos, circa 1900,show the station as a bustling operation
with numerous buildings – virtually a self-sustaining community.
The station was
abandoned in 1969 and very little remains today. Most buildings have fallen
to the ground and what remains standing is headed there soon. Stepping over
bricks, broken glass and weathered lumber, I try to imagine how lively this
place once was. Although I am alone, I sense the history of this place and
this gives me a feeling of companionship.
Cavorting with bats and anticipation of my morning excursion to the
lighthouse combine to make for a restless night of sleep. Two hours before
dawn, I find myself outside sipping coffee that I had made on my tiny camp
stove. Stars shine brightly overhead suspended like brilliant diamonds
dangling in the clear night sky. I am awestruck by the total silence of my
world, interrupted only by the sound of my own breathing. I feel blessed
that my life style as a wandering outdoor photographer brings such moments
into my life.
It is still dark when I arrive at the light station with only a faint amber
glow beginning to emerge over the eastern horizon. A steady white light
shines brilliantly from the lighthouse tower, casting its beam 78 feet above
the dark waters of Lake Huron. Although I am totally safe on dry land, I am
simultaneously excited and comforted by the shining light – much the same
effect I am sure that many a sailor has felt far out on the lake.
It would turn out to be a magnificent morning for photographing the
lighthouse, from the darkness of predawn “til the sun was well above the
horizon. And I would have the good fortune of being able to repeat the
entire process again the following morning.
The last subject of my photographic endeavors here is a small in-ground log
building nestled in the woods on the fringes of the light station grounds. I
would later find out that this unique structure is a cold storage cellar
that had been totally rebuilt by members of Boy Scout Troop 45. The troop,
located in Farmington Hills, Michigan, has been working on Middle Island
every summer since 1997.
In addition to the superlative job they did in reconstructing the cellar,
these young men and their leaders have undertaken numerous other tasks on
the island. They have cleared nearly two miles of trails, landscaped the
light station grounds, worked on the keeper’s privy (soon to be reopened for
business!) and done extensive work on both the interior and exterior of the
keeper’s quarters. These enthusiastic scouts, through their commitment and
hard work, have played an integral role in the restoration of this historic
light station.
My stay on Middle Island is drawing to a close. All my gear has been packed
and loaded onto the pontoon and plywood dock. This unusual docking structure
has served MILKA well, but its limitations have made it quite a challenge in
getting visitors, workers and construction materials onto the island. The
continuing decline in lake levels has compounded the difficulty and forced
MILKA to redirect their immediate priorities. Plans for a 300-foot breakwall
and docking system have been approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
and the Michigan DNR. When finished, this new docking facility will greatly
enhance access to the island. MILKA hopes to have this project completed by
fall, 2001, in time for the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival.
I have arrived at the dock well ahead of my scheduled rendezvous time with
Captain Mike. Basking in the warm July sun, I give pause and reflect on my
two-day island stay. It has been a remarkable experience. I came to Middle
Island to acquire another lighthouse “notch” on my camera. I accomplished
this objective, but in the process, I received much more.
Isolated by the deep blue waters of Lake Huron, I reveled in the quiet
serenity of my very own island paradise. This time spent alone in nature has
invigorated my spirit. My time spent exploring both the light station and
former lifesaving station has broadened my appreciation for Great Lakes
maritime history.
I will leave this island with a sense of amazement at what has been
accomplished by the hard working volunteers of MILKA. Although there is yet
much work to be done, I have no doubt that this dedicated group of people
will succeed in achieving their goals. These new keepers of the light are
restoring dignity to the Middle Island Light Station and infusing this
historic site with a renewed sense of purpose. |
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