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Shining a Light on the City's Past

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THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 22, Number 31 Thursday, August 10, 2006 Shining A Light on the City’s Past by Paula McHugh Do you happen to know what Michigan City’s best-kept secret is? It’s on Heisman Harbor Road, at the bend of the harbor. Have you guessed the answer now? It’s the Old Lighthouse Museum. “It’s amazing how many Michigan City residents don’t even know it’s here,” said Jackie Glidden, Lighthouse Museum direc- tor. The 1858 brick, 3-1/2-story building with its distinctive cupola has been attract- ing hundreds of out-of-town visitors for years. Many locals, however, confuse the original lighthouse with the fog-signal lighthouse at the end of the pier—the one that is a subject of many fine local pho- tographers’ lenses. So. Now that you have the correct answer, it’s time to tell you all about this historical gem, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and restored and kept up by dedicated local volunteers and Michigan City’s “Best Kept Secret” is the Old Lighthouse Museum at Washington Park. out-of-town lighthouse club members. Every spring and fall members of the Hoosier Lighthousing Club tackle projects at the Michigan City Lighthouse Museum- they’ve built a new stairway to access the building’s lantern room, added an access to the cupola, and even rebuilt the support under the stairs to the attic. Members gather from across the country at the local historic building for the weekend blitzkieg labor of love. For more infor- mation about the organization, visit www.hlclub.org. Museum Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 August 3, 2006 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.bbpnet.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $28 6 months $16 3 months $10 1 month $5 Miss Harriet Colfax is perhaps most remembered and written-about in the history of the city’s shining beacon. Harriet Colfax, cousin of Schuyler Colfax (Vice President to Ulysses S. Grant), maintained the lights that Museum Director Jackie Glidden allowed us a glimpse of Harriet Colfax’ guided ships for 43 years. Harriet served as keeper until her steep stairwell that led to the light above. retirement at age 80. Museum Continued from Page 1 dirty. According to Jackie, Harriet’s meticulously- The original lighthouse that sat upon the same loca- kept journal records her toil of cleaning the Fresnel tion was built in 1837, the year Michigan City was incor- lens—sometimes well past midnight—of soot from the porated. At that time, the keeper’s dwelling was just burning kerosene. Not only that, Harriet recorded her a story-and-a-half tall, plastered and whitewashed, harrowing trips to the pier light in strong gale winds with a separate, cone-shaped, 40-foot high light tower. and freezing temperatures. Not a job for a wimp, by The lake lapped its waves right up to the edge of the golly. In 1904, the main light atop the original light- property at that time. house was moved out to the pier, and the keeper’s house “By 1858, Michigan City became a very important underwent construction of expanded quarters. place,” Jackie explained. “There were lumber mills, Electricity replaced the oil lantern in the pier light grist mills, and the town was booming.” That same in the 1930’s. year, the original lighthouse was demolished and a Visitors can learn much more about the life of the new one was built, she said. local light keepers from one of the seventeen docents From 1858 until 1904, a 5th-order Fresnel lens atop who volunteer to staff the historical museum. The his- the roof’s cupola shined its light some fifteen miles torical society has maintained the museum build- out into the lake, guiding grain and lumber vessels. ing since 1965 on land leased by the city. Inside the And although not the first keeper of the rebuilt light- handsome building at the western edge of Washington house (John M. Clarkson was), the second, Miss Park, visitors have the opportunity to capture a sense Harriet Colfax, is perhaps most remembered and of life “as it used to be” in the city founded by Isaac written-about in the history of the city’s shining bea- Elston. For example, it’s challenging contemporary res- con. Harriet Colfax, cousin of Schuyler Colfax (Vice idents to envision the enormous size of the long-gone President to Ulysses S. Grant), maintained the lights Hoosier Slide. Artist W. Nelson’s painting, as well as that guided ships for 43 years. Harriet served as keep- additional memorabilia, helps put the now-vanished er until her retirement at age 80. sand mountain in perspective. Jackie’s comparison likens “Harriet Colfax was very courageous,” Jackie said. Mount Baldy to a mild hill when measured side-by- Not only did she have to climb to the roof twice and side with Hoosier Slide. sometimes three times daily to light or extinguish or The museum has an excellent exhibit relating to refill the oil-lit beacon, she had to make her way the stopover of Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train. The along the elevated walkway to a second beacon same can be said of the collection of historic documents— installed at the end of the pier in 1871. When keep- including postcards-- pertaining to the sinking of ers switched from whale oil to kerosene, the job got the Eastland in Chicago’s harbor in 1915. Especially THE August 3, 2006 Page 3 Open ‘til 6 p.m. Evenings www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the [email protected] Conscious Woman Women’s Apparel SIDEWALK DAYS Spring & Summer 30%-50% Off with an It’s challenging contemporary residents to envision the enormous Additional 10% off the last sale price size of the long-gone Hoosier Slide. Artist W. Nelson’s painting, as well as additional memorabilia, helps put the now-vanished sand mountain in perspective. New Fall Arriving Daily!!! notable is the remarkable story of Lodner D. Phillips’ cigar-shaped submarine, a creation the Michigan City inventor built in 1845. Phillips subsequently failed in his attempt to sell his submersible vessel to the U.S. Navy. When entering the museum, one will find a plaque dedicated to Phillips just outside the door. Jackie pointed out among, the yellowed news clippings of the Eastland disaster, a photo of one of Phillips’ sub- marines dredged from the same wreckage sight. Karen Museum Continued on Page 4 Neuburger… Ultra-comfortable set features a short-sleeve top, prettily trimmed at the collar and pocket, and easy cropped pants. Sizes S-XL. $64 Especially notable is the remarkable story of Lodner D. Phillips’ cigar- shaped submarine, a creation the Michigan City inventor built in 1845. In addition to this small model, another larger carved wooden replica of Phillips’ submarine is only display behind glass. Tent Sale - 50% off plus another 40% off A very old Early birds gets the …! newspaper ad about the Phillips’ submarine dredged from Meet Us For Lunch And A Style Show the location of WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23 - HANNAH’S, NEW BUFFALO the Eastland disaster. 409409 Alexander StreetStreet, LaPorte, IN 326-8602 On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway TurnTurn Rightright on AlexanderAlexander Monday-FridayMonday - Friday10 am 9:30to 6 pmto 7 Saturday Saturday 9:30 9:30 am to to5 5 pm THE Page 4 August 3, 2006 There is an open invitation for more area residents to join the When entering Michigan City the museum, Historical one will find a Society, too. plaque dedicat- Members enjoy ed to Phillips unlimited free just outside the visits to the door. museum and access to the museum’s research library, among other benefits. Museum Continued from Page 3 Members of the Michigan City Historical Society Many other exhibits—from maritime history to have put in numberless hours of work to maintain the 19th-century furnishings—to Michigan City’s busi- old lighthouse building, including a successful cam- nesses of long ago-- fill two floors of the museum. And paign to preserve the elevated pier from demolition if one had to choose the “stars of the show,” they in 1988. And, they are very grateful for the help might just pick the two hand-cut glass Fresnel lens- given them by the Hoosier Lighthouse Club. The lat- es familiar to lighthouse aficionados. One, a 4th- ter organization is comprised of people not only from order, 24 piece lens greets the visitor inside the muse- Indiana, but also from neighboring states. Their com- um’s lobby. The original Michigan City Fresnel lens mon goal is to preserve and appreciate those beacons (5th-order), sits protected in an enclosed exhibit case. along the Great Lakes. Earlier this summer, Beacher Under ownership of the Coast Guard, it was removed writer Kathy Ceperich happened upon—and pho- for safekeeping from its pier location several decades tographed-- members of the group who had come to ago when a vandal used it as a shooting target. town to help install a spiral staircase up to the cupo- la.
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