The Minneapolis Shoal Light Station is a light house located in northern
Green Bay, south of Peninsula Point near
Big Bay de Noc
Big Bay de Noc is a bay in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The bay, which opens into Lake Michigan's Green Bay, is enclosed by Delta County. The Garden Peninsula is on the east side of the bay and the Stonington Peninsula is ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
. It was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 2006.
History
Nineteenth century shipping traffic into
Escanaba, Michigan
Escanaba ( ), commonly shortened to Esky, is a port city in Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on Little Bay de Noc in the state's Upper Peninsula. The population was 12,616 at the 2010 census, making it the third-largest city i ...
went by way of Peninsula Point; to guide the traffic there, the
Peninsula Point Light
The Peninsula Point Light is a lighthouse located at the southern tip of the Stonington Peninsula in Bay de Noc township in Delta County, Michigan. United States Coast Guard historical documents have over the years listed the name of the site ...
was established in 1856.
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.
Construction was completed in 1934,
and the light was first lit in 1935.
The station was later automated in 1979, and is still in use.
Description
The Minneapolis Shoal Light Station is a cream colored octagonal tower, constructed of reinforced concrete, with an integral keeper's house.
It is a twin of
Grays Reef Light Station
The Grays Reef Light is a lighthouse located in northeastern Lake Michigan, west of Waugoshance Island in Bliss Township, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
History
In the 1880s, as shipments of iron o ...
, built at approximately the same time.
The design is a modification of one created by F. P. Dillon and W. G. Will, which was used in
Conneaut, Ohio
Conneaut ( ) is a city in Ashtabula County, Ohio, Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States, along Lake Erie at the mouth of Conneaut Creek northeast of Cleveland. The population was 12,841 at the 2010 Census. Conneaut is located at the far northeast ...
and
Huron, Ohio
Huron is a city in Erie County, Ohio, United States. The population was 7,149 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Sandusky, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Huron Township surrounds the City of Huron.
History and culture
Huron Townshi ...
.
The Light Station sits on a square reinforced concrete pier, high and on a side.
Atop the pier is a two-story base, high and on a side.
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.
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 tall, and tapers from at the base to beneath the gallery.
The entire light is covered on the exterior with steel plates.
References
External links
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Lighthouses completed in 1934
Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
Buildings and structures in Delta County, Michigan
National Register of Historic Places in Delta County, Michigan
1934 establishments in Michigan