Views at the Light Family and Friends to a Memorable, Guided, and Educational Tour

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Views at the Light Family and Friends to a Memorable, Guided, and Educational Tour Lighthouse Tours Treat yourself, your Views at the Light family and friends to a memorable, guided, and educational tour. The 2-1/2 hour tour includes a round trip ride on a licensed charter boat on Saturdays from mid-June through August. Light refreshments will be served. Advance registration and payment are required. Call 906-430-8169 or email Tours @DRLPS.com. Lighthouse Keeper Program Light- house aficionados as well as those KEEPER PROGRAM seeking a unique getaway will enjoy and TOURS this 3-day and 2-night adventure. at the Historic Offshore Keepers will assist with light main- DeTOUR REEF LIGHT tenance and the tour program. Four to Located in northern Lake Huron at the six keepers are in residence from Fri- mouth of the St. Marys River, this active day afternoon through late Sunday aid to navigation is one mile offshore at from mid-June through August. Keep- the far eastern end of Michigan’s Upper ers provide their own linens and meals. Peninsula between DeTour Village and Call 906-493-6609 or email Drummond Island. The DeTour Reef [email protected]. Light is the only offshore reef-based light on the Great Lakes to offer an overnight Access onto the Lighthouse keeper program. Explore from the base- All participants must be physically ment to the lantern level during the nar- capable of climbing and descending a rated tours. Enjoy the spectacular scenery 20 foot ladder to access the lighthouse, with freighters passing by the Light. and they must wear a safety harness. DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society PO Box 307 Drummond Island, MI 49726 www.DRLPS.com [email protected] Situated on In 1931, the spiral stairway, cylinder, a reef in watch room, lantern, and Fresnel lens 24’ of wa- were removed from the onshore 1861 ter, the De- DeTour Point Light Station and in- Tour Reef stalled at the DeTour Reef Light. The Light rises 1908 3- 1/2 order Fresnel lens is cur- 83’ above rently on display at DeTour Passage the water. Historical Museum in DeTour Village. Its 63’ tall Classical Revival style structure sits on a reinforced concrete pier atop a unique DRLPS has received the Governor's box-like wooden crib. The building Award for excellence in historic preser- consists of 3 levels and a tower painted vation, the Superior Award from the His- white with a red roof. The lighthouse basement is a recessed room located in torical Society of Michigan, and has been the center of the concrete pier beneath designated a Preserve America Steward the keepers’ quarters, and was used as by First Lady Michelle Obama. The De- the lighthouse’s machinery room and Tour Reef Light is listed on the National storage area. The keepers’ quarters, lo- Register of Historic Places. cated on the second level, has access to the light tower. Membership in the DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society will support the A 32 step cast iron spiral stairway preservation of one of Michigan’s mag- leads upward to nificent maritime treasures. Family mem- the 10-sided DeTour Reef Light Preservation Soci- berships begin at $30. watch room. A ety (DRLPS) was established in 1998 DRLPS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organiza- short ladder leads as a 501c3 volunteer organization to re- tion. Your donation is tax-deductible as from this room to store, preserve, and maintain the De- allowed by law. the lantern pow- Tour Reef Light. Major restoration was ered by a 12-volt completed in 2004 with funding from DeTour Reef Light battery bank federal, state, and private grants and Preservation Society charged by solar public donations. PO Box 307 panels. The 8-tier Vega VLB-44 LED Drummond Island, MI 49726 Marine Beacon has a range of 16 miles. Phone: 906-493-6609 A door opens from the watch room to a Web: www.DRLPS.com rectangular outside gallery bounded by E-mail: [email protected] a 3 foot railing. .
Recommended publications
  • Detour Reef Light Drawings Inventory 2000 by Dr. Charles Feltner
    drl dwngs.xls - whole list An Annotated Inventory of DeTour Reef Light Drawings (Nat. Arch. nos. in bold are DeTour Point Light drawings - DPL no. is in Revised column) This annotated inventory of original United States Lighthouse Service Source: 1 = USCG HQ, Ocean Engineering Type: A=Architectectual and United States Coast Guard Engineering Drawings of the 2 = USCG 9th District,Civil Engineering E=Electrical/Electronic DeTour Reef Light Station and a few from DeTour Point Light Station 3 = Office of Superintendent of Lighthouses, 11th Dist, Detroit M=Mechanical 1875-1982 was prepared by DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society 4 = USCG 9th District, Electronic Engineering N=Navigation, Aids to volunteer Chuck Feltner in 2000 and used as an attachment to many 5 = Other S=Structural documents including grants and National Historic Lighthouse transfer. T=Topographical X=Miscellaneous Drlps USCG No. Nat. Arch. Title Date Revised Scale Sheet Annotation Source Type Dup. Crane Displ. No. No. RH&L Standard Aid to Navigation- Power Distribution for Signal Control System-Interconnection Interconnection diagram with wire running list This 1 130419 Diagram with Wire Running List 11/15/1976 R none 1/1 is principally for the radiobeacon system 1 E 1 Shows the entire mechanical installation of the F2T Detail of Installation of "F2T" diaphone fog horn and its air supply system. From 2 1263-S 705180 Type fog signal 11/1/1956 3/4" = 1' 1/1 this you can deduce how the system worked. 2 M 4 Y Standard Aid to Navigation- This is an interconnect diagram with wire running Standby-Power Volume list.
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  • P a S S a G E S
    DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society P A S S A G E S * PO Box 307 * Drummond Island MI 49726 * [email protected] * www.DRLPS.com * 906-493-6609 * Issue 23 We’ll Keep the Light on for You! September 2011 DeTour Reef Light First Lit November 10, 1931 80 Years Shining at the mouth of the St. Mary’s River In 1929, the U.S. Lighthouse Service authorized building a new lighthouse to be located offshore in 24 feet of water on the outer end of the DeTour Reef to mark a larger and dangerous shoal at the entrance to the strategic St. Marys River. Work began in early 1930 and was completed in late 1931. The con- struction of the offshore light was dependant on the weather in the area and the climate and exposed location, made the winter months unsuitable for construction efforts. This lighthouse replaced the on- shore light station (DeTour Point) with the staircase cylinder, circu- lar stairs, lantern, Fresnel lens, radio beacons, and fog signal relocat- ed from the 1861 onshore Detour Point Light Station. After 327 working days and at a cost of $140,000 the building of the DeTour Reef Light, a unique steel-framed square tower of three dis- tinct levels in Classical Revival architectural styling, was completed. On the evening of November 10, 1931 the new DeTour Reef Light was lit by the keepers who transferred from DeTour Point Light. Historian Chuck Feltner has identified the first keepers. They were W. S. Hall, Keeper, James Brander, K1A, Sterling Malone, K2A.
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  • Final 2012 NHLPA Report Noapxb.Pub
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  • Lighthouses – Clippings
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  • 2016-2017 NHLPA Program Highlights Report National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act 2016-2017 NHLPA Program Highlights Report
    GSA Office of Real Property Utilization and Disposal 2016-2017 NHLPA Program Highlights Report National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act 2016-2017 NHLPA Program Highlights Report Executive Summary Congress passed the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Purpose of the Report Act (NHLPA) in 2000 to recognize the importance of lighthouses and light stations (collectively called “lights”) for maritime traffic. This report provides Coastal communities and not-for-profit organizations (non-profits) 1. An overview of the NHLPA; also appreciate the historical, cultural, recreational, and educational value of these iconic properties. 2. The roles and responsibilities of the three Federal partner agencies executing the program; Over time and for various reasons, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) may determine a light is excess property. Through the NHLPA, 3. Calendar Year1 2016 and 2017 highlights and historical Federal agencies; state and local governments; and non-profits disposal trends of the program; can obtain an excess historic light at no cost through stewardship 4. A discussion of reconciliation of changes from past reports; transfers. If suitable public stewards are not found for an excess light, the General Services Administration (GSA) will sell the light 5. A look back at lighthouses transferred in 2002, the first year in a public auction (i.e. a public sale). GSA transferred lights through the NHLPA program; and GSA includes covenants in the transfer documentation to protect 6. Case studies on various NHLPA activities in 2016 and 2017. and maintain the historic features of the lights. Many of these lights remain active aids-to-navigation (“ATONs”), and continue to guide maritime traffic under their new stewards, in coordination with the USCG.
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  • Restoration of the Detour Reef Light (DRL)
    Restoration of the DeTour Reef Light (DRL) by Dr. Charles Feltner, Restoration Chairman & Chief Historian DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society (DRLPS) The Annual Meeting of The Association for Great Lakes Maritime History September 16-18, 2005 Tobermory, Ontario, Canada Agenda • Background on the DRL • Profile of DRLPS • Major Milestones, 1998 to 2005 • Restoration Program – Contributions of a Strong Volunteer Organization – Historic Structures Report – Grantsmanship – Acquiring the Funding – Grant and Project Execution – Restoration Execution – Before and After Photos • Final Inspection and Aftermath • Lessons Learned • Keys to Success Where We Are Location of the DeTour Reef Light Northern Lake Huron at the eastern end of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula DeTour Reef Light DeTour Passage DeTour Passage DPL DRL GATEWAY TO SUPERIOR The Lighthouses of DeTour Passage DeTour Point Light in 1914 DeTour Reef Light in 1931 Built in 1847 onshore Built in 1931 one mile offshore at DeTour Point from the DeTour Point Light Rebuilt in 1861 Automated in 1974 (Same as Whitefish Point Light) DeTour Reef Light Cross Section Elevation Second Floor Plan DeTour Reef Light Being built in 1931 Being restored in 2003 DeTour Reef Light Usually Operational from about April 1 to December 15 Excess Property in 1997 Restored by DRLPS in 2004 Agenda • Background on the DRL • Profile of DRLPS • Major Milestones, 1998 to 2005 • Restoration Program – Contributions of a Strong Volunteer Organization – Historic Structures Report – Grantsmanship – Acquiring the Funding – Grant
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  • Passages Editor: Candis Collick Paper on Any 1861, Because Detour Reef [email protected] Lighthouse in the Light Replaced It in 1931
    DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society P A S S A G E S PO Box 307 Drummond Island MI 49726 [email protected] www.DRLPS.com 906-493-6609 Issue 11 We’ll Keep the Light on for You! Spring 2007 Officers & Directors Russ Norris [email protected], President Modeling the Light From Afar . James M. Charles & David Bardsley [email protected], V. Presidents Charles E. Feltner [email protected], Treasurer The DeTour Reef Light has been mod- Madison Sentimore also selected the De- eled by two students at the Chesapeake Tour Reef Light. In her research paper Glenn Lahti, Secretary she wrote, “The history of my lighthouse G. Dennis Bailey, Clifton E. Haley, Richard L. Academy in Arnold, Maryland. The Moehl—Directors; James S. Woodward— social studies pro- has to include some of the Honorary Director, and Jeri Baron Feltner— ject for their fifth history of a lighthouse that Founding Director Emeritus grade class in- was first built on shore at Chairpersons cluded creating a DeTour Point at the begin- Database Manager/Assistant Secretary: Paula ning of Lake Huron in P. Bardsley [email protected] scale model of and a research 1847, and was rebuilt in Stars Event: Joyce Buckley [email protected] Passages Editor: Candis Collick paper on any 1861, because DeTour Reef [email protected] lighthouse in the Light replaced it in 1931. Webmaster: Matt and Sheila Sawyer United States. Boat traffic increased a lot [email protected] The finished dis- so they decided they needed Tours: John & Sunny Covell [email protected] plays were then a lighthouse in the water to Preservation: Don Gries [email protected] presented to all mark the dangerous reef.
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  • Shipwreck Journaljournal Journal of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society Volume 33 No
    PBS “Globe Trekker” series visits Shipwreck Museum – page 8 ShipwreckShipwreck JournalJournal Journal of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society Volume 33 No. 3/4 2016 Wreckage from the Griffin found …in Lake Superior! ~Also in this Issue~ Shipwreck Society on Television “The Boyd made another Status Update: pass and the crew knew Motor Lifeboat CG 36381 & Motor Lifeboat House that this was something Henry B. Smith Shipwreck of interest…It rested Expedition in approximately 270’ Summer Appeal Results of cold Lake Superior …and more! water.” GRIFFIN SHIP PHOTO COURTESY PAUL LAMARRE, JR. / PAUL C. LAMARRE, III like any organization with a hard-working staff and Board of Directors…we like to hear how we are doing! Good and bad. We often hear from our visitors and through such social media entities as tripadvisor/facebook and the vast majority of this feedback is extremely positive. We’ve even been recognized by fellow historical organizations, regional magazines and area niche groups. You will read about a few recent honors that the Shipwreck Society has garnered in this issue of the Shipwreck Journal as well as some of New deck and entryway, Motor Lifeboat House the long term historic preservation projects that are very close to completion. A few are just getting underway and we’ll tell you about those too. Our short summer season also means that we have to squeeze in as much time on the water, and onboard the R/V David Boyd, as possible before the dramatic autumn weather sets-in. Our Director of Marine Operations, Darryl Ertel Jr., and the crew of the Boyd covered much territory in 2016.
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  • Keepers of the Detour Reef Light
    Keepers of the DeTour Reef Light Note: At the Tenth Anniversary Gala, at the invitation of the DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society and Dr. Charles Feltner, DRLPS Historian , invited past USCG members to come and talk about their experiences while assigned to the DeTour Reef Light. The following is the information they shared. One mile offshore sitting on an underwater reef in the St. Mary’s River the 83 foot high DeTour Reef Light serves as a guide for the boat traffic traveling between Lakes Huron and Superior. Since 1931 freighters have relied on the Light to avoid that reef and make the turn into the River. Inside the DeTour Reef Light members of the U.S. Coast Guard worked to keep that Light shining until it was automated in 1974. Originally, there were three men assigned to the Light. However, during World War II, a fourth man was added into the rotation to keep three men on the Light at all times. The mouth of St. Mary’s River is a strategic location for boats going to and from the Soo Locks and the US Navy believed the beefed-up security was necessary. The four man rotation was maintained through 1972. More than 100 men served on the DeTour Reef Light from 1931 until it was fully automated in 1974. Charlie Jones was Officer in Charge for 22 years and retired with 40 years of service as a civilian. Jack Short served on the Light over 10 years. It was considered a remote assignment by the Coast Guard and the young recruits learned to deal with loneliness and isolation.
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