Historic Structures
Light tower: the first light tower was built with stone in 1848 and its lens used whale oil to produce a light. The stone tower proved inadequate against Lake Superior's storms. In 1861, the stone tower was replaced with the present steel tower by the order of President Lincoln. Over the years the light had several different lens. The Crouse & Hinds aerobeacon lens installed in 1968was replaced in 2011 with a light-emitting diode (LED) lantern with a reduced range of 15 nautical miles (28 km).
The GLSHS renewed a historic preservation easement with Michigan's SHPO and was awarded $40,000 Michigan Lighthouse Assistance grants in 2008 and 2010 to strip the paint from the 150 year old tower, conduct lead paint abatement, and prime and repaint the tower. The GLSHS projects completion of light tower painting project in 2011. In 2010, GLSHS began permitting the public to climb the light tower for a fee of $5.00 per person after the Coast Guard's high voltage navigation equipment was removed. The Whitefish Point light was automated in 1971 but remains an active aid to navigation.
Fog signal building: the original fog signal building was destroyed in a storm in 1935. The building was replaced with a brick structure in 1937. It was used to house steam boilers, clock timing apparatus, radio equipment, diesel generators, and equipment to operate 3 large diaphone horns until 1982. The Coast Guard replaced the diaphone horns with an electronic fog horn in 1983 that sounded from the light tower. The Coast Guard stopped fog signals from Whitefish Point in 1995. The GLSHS abandoned their 1996 plans to demolish the fog signal building and started restoration of the exterior of the building in 2002. The GLSHS uses the fog signal building as a ground maintenance facility not open to the public.
Lookout tower: it was built at the Whitefish Point Life-saving Station in 1923 for a 24-hour watch during the shipping season. It was abandoned by the Coast Guard in 1955. The GLSHS moved the lookout tower to its present location and restored it in 1998. It is not open to the public.
Lightkeeper's quarters: this two-story frame building was originally constructed in 1861 as a dwelling for the lightkeeper and his family. Its interior was later reconstructed as two-family duplex to also house the assistant lightkeeper and his family. It housed Coast Guard personnel until 1970. In 1996, the GLSHS restored the building to its 1920 era condition. It is open to the public with a museum admission fee.
Assistant U.S. Coast Guard Chief’s Quarters: this two-story dwelling was constructed in 1925 for the light station Chief and family. The GLSHS exhibited shipwreck artifacts in the first story of this building from 1985 until it constructed the museum in 1987. The first floor of the building is now used as 35-seat theater that shows a 20 minute video about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald as part of the museum tour.
Crews quarters: the original location of this two-story frame building was threatened by shore erosion. It was sold to private owners and moved from the Whitefish Point Light Station. The GLSHS bought the building in 1990 and moved it back to a new location. GLSHS moved it again in 1999 to comply with the historic zone created by SHPO. GLSHS started renovation of the building in 2002 using $630,280 in TEA-21 federal grant funds. GLSHS announced that it would use the building as overnight rental housing for membership development that would not compete with the lodging establishments in the town of Paradise. The building is not open to the general public.
Boat house: the Coast Guard constructed three boat houses at Whitefish Point. It is believed that the only remaining boat house was moved to its present location in the 1950s. GLSHS completed restoration of the boat house in 2001. The building displays a full-size replica Beebe-McClellan 26 feet (7.9 m) surfboat and exhibits on the U.S. Life-Saving Service and U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Station as part of the museum tour for an admission fee.
Frame storage building: the Coast Guard constructed this building for firewood storage. GLSHS uses it as a gift shop.
Chief’s garage: the Coast Guard constructed a 3-car garage in 1940 that has remained in the same location. The WPBO uses the building as the "Owls Roost" gift shop, a bird banding lab, and a base for educational tours.
Other historic structures: a 1861 steel lamp oil house and a 1910 alcohol house have remained on the site since they were constructed. They were used to store fuel sources for the light before it was electrified in 1931.
Read more about this topic: Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Museum Complex
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