Report for Windmill Point Michigan (Michigan) - 1909
| General |
| District: | 11th |
| Inspector: | Ralph R. Tinkham |
| Location: | On Windmill Point, N side of outlet of Lake St. Claire. |
| Date of Report: | 03/28/1909 |
| Latitude: | 42° 21' 30.39" |
| Longitude: | 82° 55' 48.52" |
| Premises |
| Site: | Purchase |
| Date of Reservation: | |
| Date of Deed: | 08/11/1837 |
| Date of Permission: | |
| Date of Lease: | |
| Area of the Entire Site: | 3 3/4 acres besides roadway & submarine site |
| Area Inclosed: | 3 3/4 acres |
| Character of Soil: | Sandy |
| Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark: | About 50' |
| Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence: | Inclosing tower dwelling & oil house - concrete sea wall on lake side & picket fence on N'ly & W'ly sides. Inclosing remainder of site, range towers & out bldgs - a Page wire fence. |
| Wharf or Landing on Premises: | 1 landing for small boats. |
| Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance: | No road from dwelling to landing. A cement wall connects the two. |
| Means to Reach Light Station: | By small boat from Detroit River & Lake St. Claire or by Public Highway. |
| Distance to Nearest Road: | 500' to public road, thence 1 mile to main highway: Jefferson Ave. - Detroit Ry. sta. 7.5 miles. |
| Distance to Post Office: | 7.5 miles, Detroit. |
| Distance to Village: | 7.5 miles, Detroit City Hall |
| Facilities for Public Conveyance: | Street car on Jefferson Ave. to Fox Creek a little over 1 mile from light station. |
| Facilities for Private Conveyance: | From Detroit by way of Jefferson Ave. & Fox Creek road or by water in tender & launch. |
| Means Used for Support of Lantern: | Tower |
| Number of Separate Lights: | 1 |
| First Built or Established: | 1838 |
| Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated: | Rebuilt 1875, 18' W'ly of original site. |
| Condition at This Date: | Good |
| Shape of Tower in Plan: | Circular |
| Form of Tower: | Conical |
| Height from Base to Ventilator Ball: | 56' 9" |
| Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water: | 55' |
| Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea: | Sparsely wooded |
| Color of Tower: | White, lantern black. |
| Color of Tower/ How Produced: | Whitewashed, lantern black paint. |
| Tower Connection: | Connected to dwelling by covered passage, 15' long. |
| Object of Navigation: | Lake coast light. |
| Building Materials: | Stone wall, brick lining wall. |
| General Description: | |
| Wall Thickness at Base: | 3' 11"; 18" outer wall, 8" lining wall. |
| Wall Thickness at Parapet: | 16" |
| Diameter at Base: | 14' 10" |
| Diameter at Parapet: | 9' 8" |
| Kind of Stairway and Steps: | Circular winding, cast iron steps, pipe rail. |
| Number of Landings: | 3; 5/8 top landing, others 1/2 |
| Size of Glass: | 10" x 14" |
| Number of Windows and Size of Sash: | 4; sash 24" x 32"; 4 lts. - casement with storm sash. |
| Number of Doors: | 1, into passage. |
| Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface: | Stone; 4' |
| Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse: | Sand with black loam top soil |
| Soil Susceptibility: | Inclosure about tower & dwelling, sodded & some trees grow. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | Deed of 10/19/1876 adds to LH site a strip of land 66' wide & 1 1/4 miles long btwn Jefferson Ave & Detroit River for a roadway. Bears N 29° W from near NE corner of site & measures 5815.6' from N line of site to Jefferson Ave. Submarine caisson 3/13/1876 |
| Lantern and Fixtures |
| Order of Lantern: | 4th |
| Shape of Lantern: | Polygonal |
| Diameter to Glass: | 7' 0.5" |
| Diameter in the Clear: | |
| Number of Sides: | 10 |
| Type of Bars: | Vertical |
| Thickness of Bars: | |
| Height Glazed: | 3' |
| Number of Plates in Height: | One |
| Number of Plates Each Side: | One |
| Thickness of Plates: | 5/16" |
| Size of Plates: | 30" x 36 3/4" |
| Number of Storm Panes: | None |
| Unglazed Side of Lantern: | 2 plates, 72° |
| What Bearings: | Dark panels btwn NW 1/4 W & NNE |
| Construction Material Lantern: | Verticals cast iron; cast iron circular base ring; wrought iron plate circular parpapet with wood ceiling lining. |
| Construction Material Roof / Cowl: | 10 cast iron plates, zinc lining with bar iron pinching strips. Zinc cone lens protector. |
| Ventilator / Cowl: | Cast iron |
| Lightning Spindle: | Copper with platinum tip. |
| Description of Lightning Rod: | 1/2" iron gas pipe leading from lantern gallery, outside of tower into ground on W'ly side. |
| Balustrade: | Gallery of cast iron plates, circular, 36" wide. Balustrade 30" high, with top to bottom rails & diagonals of 2" x 1/2" flat bar, & wrought iron posts w/ cast iron ball top & rosettes. |
| Lantern Doors: | 1 in parapet, single fold of 5/16" steel plate with brass bolt & hinges. |
| Floor of Lantern: | Cast iron in 4 plates, 90° each. |
| Watchroom Doors: | Plate iron trap door thru deck of lantern with hand hole lift. |
| Parapet Diameter: | Circular parapet, inside dia. 7' 0.5" |
| Ventilators |
| Location / Number: | 4 in parapet, iron hoods outside, iron valve registers inside. |
| Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement: | None |
| Curtain Hooks / Hanger: | Brass hooks screwed into verticals of lantern. |
| Illuminating Apparatus |
| Kind of Apparatus: | |
| Intensity in Candles: | |
| Name of Maker: | None given |
| Year Made: | None given |
| Marks and Number: | None |
| Order of Apparatus: | 4th |
| Inside Diameter: | 19.5" |
| Light Characteristic: | Fixed light with revolving flash apparatus. |
| Time of Revolution: | 45 sec |
| Flash Interval: | 15 sec |
| Duration of Flash: | |
| Arc of Each Fixed Part: | 3 parts of fixed light visible btwn flash panels, each fixed part 96° 32' of arc. |
| Number of Panels: | 5 |
| Number of Flash Panels: | 3 |
| Arc of Each: | 23° 28' |
| Number of Elements in Central Drum: | Lens belt, 3 elements above, 3 below |
| Number of Prisms Above Center Drum: | 6 |
| Number of Prisms Below Center Drum: | 3 |
| Does Apparatus Revolve?: | True |
| Is There a Revolving Belt?: | False |
| Revolving Panels: | |
| How Flash is Produced: | There are 3 flash panels of vertical elements situated outside lens apparatus & fixed thereto. |
| Number of Vertical Elements Panel: | Lens & 2 elements each side |
| Fixed Lens Covered: | Whole height of lens apparatus |
| Pedestal: | Old pattern cast iron, 3' 7" to top. |
| Service Table: | Cast iron attached to pedestal 3' 3.5" above floor & supporting clockwork. |
| Draft Tube Description: | None |
| Revolving Machinery: | Clock work, horizontal spur gear & pinion of brass in plane of base of apparatus. |
| Standby and Description: | |
| Chariot Float or Balls: | Pivot bearing. |
| Chariot Description: | |
| Length of Drop Tube: | 40' 6", floor of lantern to floor of tower at level of entry. Flue opens thru arch of window recess at this level. |
| Clock Weight: | |
| Length of Winding Time: | |
| Drive During Rewind: | |
| Machinery Protection: | Glass case over clockwork |
| Regulated: | By wing governor & by adding or removing weights. |
| Lens Protection: | |
| How Color is Produced: | By ruby glass screens hung by hooks outside each flash panel & totally covering same. |
| Red Sectors Description: | Revolving light seen around horizon except for 2 dark panels. |
| Where Color Attached: | Illuminating apparatus. |
| Form of Colored Glass: | |
| Lamp Description: | Funk-Heap, 4th order, 1 wick. |
| Type of Illuminant: | |
| Number of Spare Lamps: | 2 used, 1 spare, total 3. |
| Number of Spare Burners: | 1 burner to each lamp. |
| Candle Power: |
| Clock Cord Description |
| Revolving Cord: | |
| Size of Clock Cord: | |
| Length of Clock Cord: | |
| How Led: | Cord leads thru lantern floor, over a sheave into the weight flue, over a sheave & down the flue. |
| Diameter and Length of Clock Drum: |
| Closets and Store Rooms |
| Tower Closet Use: | None |
| Oil House Description: | Circular, 50' N'ly from tower. |
| Oil House Inside Dimension: | 6' dia. |
| Oil House Construction Material: | Steel plate outside to conical roof. Walls lined with brick. |
| Oil House Capacity: | 45 5-gal cans = 225 gals. |
| Other (Describe): | In old part of dwelling: 2 closets, 1 pantry on 1st floor, 3 closets on 2nd floor. In new part, 1 pantry 1st floor, 3 closets on 2nd floor. |
| Suitability: | Suitable |
| Dwelling |
| Location: | Attached to tower by covered passage 15' long. Old dwelling was added to in 1908 & converted into a double dwelling. |
| Coloring: | Natural color of red brick, & red roof. |
| Construction Materials: | Concrete foundations, brick walls, roof - metal slates. |
| Number of Rooms: | 10 rooms & hall in part nearest tower; 8 rooms, pantry & hall in new part; cellar under both parts. |
| Number of Dwellings: | |
| Heating Plant: | |
| Number of Keepers: | 1 keeper & family; 1 asst. keeper & family. |
| Furnished Quarters: | |
| NOT Furnished Quarters: | |
| Outhouses: | Oil house, privy, 2 barns, wash house. |
| Outhouse Coloring: | Oil house red, privy & wash house yellow, 1 barn gray, 1 barn yellow w/ metal slate roof |
| Paths and Walks: | Wood walk connecting front entrances & boat landing. Also, connecting rear entrances to privy, oil house, 1 barn & 1 Range tower. |
| Area Inclosed: | Entire site, 3 3/4 acres. |
| Area of Garden: | 1/2 acre |
| Area Timber or Shrubbery: | None |
| Cultivation Area Available: | All that not occupied by bldgs etc - about 1.5 acres. |
| Area Cultivated: | 1/2 acre |
| Character of Surroundings: | Fast ground. |
| Stove, Maker: | |
| Stove, Size: | |
| Sink, Maker: | |
| Sink, Size: | |
| Pump, Maker: | |
| Pump, Size: | |
| Lamps: |
| Water |
| How Procured: | From drive wells in basements of dbl dwelling. |
| Quality: | |
| Quantity: | Ample |
| Injury Possible: | No |
| Purity Precaution: | |
| Tank Capacity: | |
| Tank Material: | |
| Distilling Apparatus: | False |
| Distilling Manufacturer: | |
| Well Description: | Drive wells |
| Well Diameter: | |
| Well Lining: | |
| Pump or Bucket: | Pumps in basement |
| What Power Used: | |
| Distance from Dwelling: | In basements of dwellings. |
| Healthfulness |
| General Opinion: | Excellent |
| Diseases: | None |
| Prevalency: | No |
| Local Causes: | No |
| Recommended Improvements: | Good natural drainage. |
| Miscellaneous |
| Access to Lighthouse: | Boat landing: board walk 4' 6" x 98' 6" on light trestle work leads from sea wall to landing crib 29' 6" x 9' 3" decked with plank, from which a short walk, 8', leads to another landing 8' x 12' on W side of crib. At MLL landing can be reached by launch. |
| Distance and Direction: | Landing walk starts at sea wall directly in front of dwelling, about 30' distant & extends in a SE'ly direction. |
| Miscellaneous Remarks: | New oil house to be built, season of 1909. Present oil house will then be turned over to Isle Aux Peches Range. New oil house will be of vitrified brick, 8' 10" x 11' plan, 10' elevations, cap. 375 gals, w/ metal slate roof, concrete ceiling & footings. |