Rescuing the Sand Point lighthouse in Escanaba

With the completion of the Peninsula Railroad in 1864, which linked Escanaba to the iron mines of Negaunee, and the subsequent construction of ore docks in the harbor, it was clear that Escanaba was destined to become Lake Michigan's premier ore shipping port.

 

Whalbacks tied up at the Escanaba ore docks

With the boom on at Escanaba, the Lighthouse Board began recommending a Congressional appropriation to establish a light on a peninsula to the south of the growing harbor in 1856. Appropriately known as Sand Point, it was clear that a light at this point would serve double duty - both helping mariners locate the entry into Little Bay De Noc and back out into the open waters of Lake Michigan.

 Chart of the west coast of Little Bay De Noquette showing Sand Point

 Congress finally made an appropriation of $1,000 to secure a tract of land on Sand Point in 1864, and then followed-up with a second appropriation of $9,000 to build the the lighthouse in 1867. Construction of the oft-repeated "schoolhouse style" lighthouse was completed late that year, and its light officially exhibited at the opening of the navigation season on May 13, 1868.

 

Sand Point lighthouse as it appeared circa 1890

In order to assist mariners in locating Sand Point in thick weather, the Lighthouse Board requested an appropriation of $1,000 to install an automated fog bell at the station in 1890. While the request was repeated every year for the next nine years, no funds were forthcoming, so to meet the needs of mariners, the District Engineer shipped an old bell tower from Tail Point to Escanaba, and outfitted with a bell and striking mechanism which had been rendered obsolete by the installation of a steam fog signal at Muskegon, this fog bell was finally placed into service at Sand Point on May 1, 1900.

The fog bell at Sand Point. Note the lighthouse in the background

Sand Point lighthouse in a hand-colored postcard from 1911

On the night of June 5, 1940 this unimpressive structure known simply as the Escanaba Light was established in the water off Sand Point. Powered by a submarine electrical cable from the nearby shore, its 375mm lens stood 45 feet above water and was visible for a distance of 14 miles in clear weather. The image to the left shows the Escanaba light as it appeared soon after construction and the image to the right shows the way it appears today.

The Escanaba crib light as it appeared soon after construction (left) and in 2012 (right)

With the construction of the new offshore Escanaba light, the old Sand Point light station no longer served any purpose as an aid to navigation. The Coast Guard removed the lantern and most of the tower and increased the square footage of the second floor by raising the roof to convert the building for use as a Coast Guard station, as shown in this circa 1960 postcard.

The lighthouse as it appeared after its conversion to serve as a Coast Guard station

With an electrically operated diaphragm horn operating in the new Escanaba light, the Fresnel lens at the Sand Point light was not the only artifact from the past to be removed. In 1941, the bell was removed from the grounds of Sand Point light station, and the old timber-frame bell tower was burned to the ground. While the event was reported in a number of newspapers, there were unfortunately no photographs of the burn published, so we will include another photo of the old lighthouse as it appeared subsequent to the Coast Guard remodeling.

 

 The lighthouse after removal of the upper tower and lantern

No longer needed to support its mission in the area, the Coast Guard made the decision to excess the aging Sand Point light station. Thankfully, the Delta County Historical Society stepped-up to take on its restoration. This photo from 1988 shows the lighthouse with its original roof line and historic window openings restored and the missing upper portion of the tower reconstructed, awaiting the eventual installation of a lantern.

The lighthouse with its original roof line and historic window openings restored

In 1989. the Delta County Historical Society received a replacement lantern which had reportedly served at the Poverty Island light station. After cleaning, restoration and painting, the lantern was hoisted to the top of the rebuilt tower and bolted in place. Due to the Society's diligence and hard work, the lighthouse was almost whole again.

Installing the restored lantern from Poverty Island

The photograph below was taken in 1990. The lantern was back on the tower, a Fourth Order Fresnel lens which was located in Menominee has been installed on its pedestal and the only exterior restoration remaining was a fresh coat of paint.

 

The new lantern and wall restoration underway 

Here is the view from the lantern of the San Point lighthouse, looking out into Little Bay de Noc towards Peninsula Point. To the left of the restored Fourth Order fixed Fresnel lens you can see the green and white Escanaba light which in 1940 rendered the Sand Point light station obsolete.

The view from the Sand Point lantern

Today, the Sand Point light station is completely restored as shown in this offshore photograph take in 2011. Included in the restoration is the boat house shown to the right, which was brought across the ice from the Squaw Point light station in 1914 for the use of the Sand Point keeper.

 Sand Point lighthouse from offshore during a GLLKA excursion in 2011

As our final shot of this series on the Sand Point light station, we present this photograph of the interior of the beautifully restored boat house and the lapstrake hulled double-ender sitting proudly on the boat car.

The interior of the Sand Point boat house