 UndatedUSCG photo of the station | |
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| Location | SW end of Passage Is., 3.25 mi NE ofIsle Royale, in NW Lake Superior,Houghton Township, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 48°13′27″N88°21′57″W / 48.22417°N 88.36583°W /48.22417; -88.36583 |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1882 |
| Construction | fieldstone[2] |
| Automated | 1978[2] |
| Height | 44 feet (13 m)[2] |
| Markings | natural with white & red lantern[2] |
| Heritage | National Register of Historic Places listed place  |
| Light | |
| First lit | 1882[1] |
| Lens | Fourth orderFresnel lens[1] (original), 7.5-inch (190 mm) (current) |
Passage Island Light Station | |
| Architect | U.S. Lighthouse Board |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| MPS | Light Stations of the United States MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000632[3] |
| Added to NRHP | July 19, 2006 |
ThePassage Island Light Station is a lighthouse located 3.25 mi (5.23 km) NE of Isle Royale, in NWLake Superior,Michigan onPassage Island. It was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 2006.[3]
The light tower is 44 feet (13 m) high, constructed of field stone, and is square on the first level, transitioning to octagonal above.[4] It is topped with a ten-sided cast iron lantern, accessible via a spiral staircase within the tower.[4] The tower is integral with the keeper's house, which is a two-story field stone house measuring 26 by 30 feet (7.9 by 9.1 m).[4]
The need for a lighthouse between Passage Island and Isle Royale was recognized as early as the 1860s, as lake traffic increased dramatically due to the upsurge in mining in theUpper Peninsula.[4] However, it took until 1875 before Congress authorized funds for the construction of a lighthouse.[4] However, because of Congress's desire to bring political pressure to bear on the Canadian government to force them to build a lighthouse inLake Erie, the appropriated $18,000 for Pasage Light was not released until 1880.[4] Construction began in 1881, and the light was completed the following year.[4] A fog signal was added in 1884, and in 1894 a new flashing white lens manufactured by Barbier, Benard & Turenne of Paris was installed.[4]
In 1978, the station was automated, and in 1989 a 7.5-inch (190 mm) acrylic lens was installed, replacing the Fresnel.[4]
Media related toPassage Island Light Station at Wikimedia Commons| Authority control databases: Geographic |
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