University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Theses (Historic Preservation) Graduate Program in Historic Preservation 2000 Point Betsie: The Future of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Mary Sarah Alfson University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses Part of the Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons Alfson, Mary Sarah, "Point Betsie: The Future of the Great Lakes Lighthouse" (2000). Theses (Historic Preservation). 397. https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/397 Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Suggested Citation: Alfson, Mary Sarah (2000). Point Betsie: The Future of the Great Lakes Lighthouse. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/397 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Point Betsie: The Future of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Disciplines Historic Preservation and Conservation Comments Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Suggested Citation: Alfson, Mary Sarah (2000). Point Betsie: The Future of the Great Lakes Lighthouse. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/397 ' n. 1(4' - my tor:.- UNIVERSITY^ PENNSYLVANIA. UBKARIES POINT BETSIE THE FUTURE OF THE GREAT LAKES LIGHTHOUSE Mary Sarah Alfson A THESIS In Historic Preservation Presented to the Facuhies of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE 2000 Supervisor Reader 7 Christa Wilmanns-Wells Came Scupholme Lecturer in Histonc Preservation Director, Michigan Lighthouse Project M-t:^L<LA_A:i {e Group Chair Matero Associate Professor of Architecture Dedication This thesis is dedicated: To Mom, Dad, Poppa, and Grandma for their love and support over the last 25 years. To Christa, for all her help and support while this work was in progress To my friends - Shelby, Michelle, Emily, Ty, and Rebecca - for putting up vvqth me over the past three years while 1 completed school, especially during the last few months! And to Sarah - for the last fourteen years. 1 wouldn't have made it without you Thank you all! Acknowlegements: I would like to acknowledge the following people and organizations for their assistance with various portions of this thesis: Carrie Scupholme at The Michigan Lighthouse Project; Tom and Phyllis Tag at Great Lakes Lighthouse Research: The Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association; the Frankfort Station of the United States Coast Guard; Scott Price at the United States Coast Guard History Office; the Frankfort Libran, , The Northwest Michigan Maritime Museum; Charlevoix Public Schools; The Charlotte- Genesse Lighthouse Historical Society; Crisp Point Historical Societ\'; Fairport Harbor Historical Society; the National Park Service; and all the Great Lakes Lighthouse owners and caretakers who were kind enough to send me information and to speak to me regarding their lighthouses. Ill . Table of Contents 1. Dedication ii 2. Acknowledgments iii 3. Table of Contents iv 4. List of Figures v 5. Introduction 1 6. Chapter 1 : Evolution of the Great Lakes 6 7. Chapter 2: Evolution of lighthouses in the United States 15 8. Chapter 3: Evolution and typology of lighthouses on the Great Lakes 30 9. Chapter 4: A history of the Point Betsie Lighthouse and surrounding areas 46 10. Chapter 5: The current conditions of the Point Betsie Lighthouse 78 1 1 Chapter 6: The future of the Point Betsie Lighthouse 93 12. Conclusion 124 13. Bibliography 129 14. Appendix A: Lighthouses of the Great Lakes 136 15. Appendix B: Shipwrecks Off the Point Betsie 153 16. Appjendix C: Current Division of the United States Coast Guard 156 1 7. Appendix D; Michigan Lighthouse Project Partners 1 59 1 8. Appendix E: Historic Property Lease 1 62 19. Appendix F; Partnership Information 1 75 20. Index 1 80 IV . List of Figures Figure 1.1 "A large birch back canoe on the rapids." From a painting by Mrs. E. Hopkins, Located in the PubHc Archives of Canada. In Phihp Mason's History of Great Lakes Transportation. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Braun-Brumfield Inc., 1957, p. 1 1 Figure 1.2 "Three masted schooner Our Son out of Milwaukee. 1872-1930 " Photo by Captain W.J. Taylor. In Philip Mason's History of Great Lakes Transportation. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Braun-Brumfield Inc., 1957, p. 14. Figure 1.3 "Bulk cargo ship. George M. Humphrey. 1954. 710 feet long, and 75 feet wide, carried over 22,000 gross tons." Photo courtesy of the MA Hanna Company. In Philip Mason's History of Great Lakes Transportation. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Braun-Brumfield Inc., 1957, p. 14. Figure 2.1 "This onginal 3"* order Fresnel lens was installed in the lighthouse tower in 1858 and is now housed in the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum." Photograph by Dave Chaney-Chardon, Ohio. Figure 2.2. "Fresnel Lens Dimensions." Based on information from George Weiss: The Lighthouse Service: It 's History, Activities, and Organization. Baltimore, Maryland: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1926. Figure 3. 1 "Original Lights on the Great Lakes." Based on information from Francis Ross Holland: America 's Lighthouses: an Illustrated History. New York: Dover Pub., 1972; T. Michael O'Brien: Guardians ofthe Eight Sea: A History ofthe U.S. Coast Guard on the Great Lakes. Figure 3.2 "Lighthouses divided by year of construction." Based on information compiled fi^om Lighthouse Board. Report ofthe Secretary ofthe Treasury on the State ofthe Finance'sfor the Year . for the years 1857-1912. Lighthouse Board. Washington: George W. Bowman Printer, 1867. Figure 3.3 "Lighthouse based on location" Information based on Wes Oleszewski: Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian. Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, 1998. Figure 3.4 "Art Deco Lighthouse." Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski, Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian. Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, 1998. Figure 3.5 "Conical Lighthouse." Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski, Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian. Gwmn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, 1998. Figure 3.6 "Hexagonal Lighthouse " Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski, Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian Gwinn, Michigan: Aver\' Color Studios. 1998. Figure 3.7 "Light-vessel." Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski. Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian. Gwinn. Michigan: Aver\' Color Studios, 1998. Figure 3.8 "Modem Lighthouse." Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski, Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian Gwinn, Michiuan: Avery Color Studios, 1998. Figure 3.9 "Octagonal Lighthouse." Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski, Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian. Gwmn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, 1998. Figure 3.10 " Pyramidal Lighthouse." Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski, Great Lakes Lighthouses: Amencan and Canadian. Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, 1998. Figure 3. 1 1 "Round Lighthouse." Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski, Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian. Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, 1998. Figure 3. 12 "Schoolhouse Lighthouse " Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski, Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian. Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, 1998. Figure 3.13 "Skeletal Lighthouse," Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski, Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian. Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, 1998. Figure 3.14 "Square Lighthouse." Photograph from: Wes Oleszewski, Great Lakes Lighthouses: American and Canadian. Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, 1998. Figure 4. 1 "Frankfort streetscape at the intersection of Main Street and Third Street." Photographed by author. Figure 4. 1 "Main Street in Frankfort - one of the many mid-nineteenth century buildings constructed in the town." Photographed by author. Figure 4.2 "Modem day Frankfort harbor, facing south away from Frankfort." Photographed by author. VI Figure 4.3 "Hotel Frontenac."" Photograph counesy of the Michigan State Historical Archives. Reproduced from Lawrence and Lucille Wakefield"s Sail & Rail: A Narrative History' of Transportation in Western Michigan. Figure 4.4 Photograph courtesy of Rev. Edward J. Dowling, S.J Located in James P. Barry "s Wrecks and Rescues of the Great Lakes: a photographic historv'. Lansing, Michigan: Thunder Bay Press: 1981, p. 17. Figure 4.5 "Detail of the porch constructed by Keeper Wheaton and his assistants." Photographed by author Figure 4.6 "Detail of one of the flower beds constructed by Keeper Wheaton and his assistants." Photographed by author. " Figure 5. 1 "View of exterior of the south fa9ade of the lighthouse (facing north) Note the breakwater in the front of the lighthouse, as well as the overgrown vegetation. The beachfront is open to the public up to the breakwater. Photographed by author Figure 5.2 "View of the porch along the south facade of the Keeper's Dwelling." Photographed by author. Figure 5.3 "View of the eastern fagade of the lighthouse. Note the missing window in the left bay, and the additions on the north side of the fafade." Photographed by author. Figure 5.4 "View of the cutaway porch located in the eastern bay of the southern facade." Note the peeling paint on the stairs and the modem aluminum door." Photographed by author. Figure 5.5 "Detail of the modem additions on the north side of the building." Note the two additions