Thunder Bay Island
Encyclopedia
Thunder Bay Island is a 215 acres (87 ha) island
in Lake Huron
. The island is one of eight constituent islands of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge
. The island is part of Alpena Township
in Alpena County
. It marks the entrance to Thunder Bay
, the harbor of Alpena, Michigan
and location of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
.
The island is the home of a historic lighthouse
, which in its current form dates to 1857, and adjacent quarters for the lightkeeper. The island also contains the sites of quarters for lifesaving service personnel and private-sector fishermen.
was installed. This 1857 light tower is the current Thunder Bay Island Light, although the tower has been further altered and is currently 63 feet high.
A fog bell was installed in 1858, and the lightkeeper's house was rebuilt in 1868. A steam-powered fog horn was added in 1871, and a fog signal building sheltering the fog signal apparatus was constructed in 1892.
The lighthouse was manned during the seasons of Great Lakes navigation from 1832 until automation in 1983, more than 150 years.
. It operated under that name until 1939, when the Life-Saving Service was consolidated into the Coast Guard.
arose on Lake Huron. The fresh-caught fish was quickly brought to a fishing station after being caught, and salted for preservation. A fishing station sprouted on Thunder Bay Island during this period, and an 1846 gazetteer counted 160 settlers on the island and 31 fishing boats that called the island their home port. Most of these fishing boats were small Mackinaw boat
s. The total catch is said to have been 12,000 barrels of fish per year. The Thunder Bay Island fishing station supported a small general store
.
After a few decades, however, the yield of Lake Huron fish declined. The Thunder Bay Island fishing station became a ghost town
.
on August 19, 1984; however, the lighthouse and adjoining infrastructure resources have deteriorated since automation. In 1997 the United States Coast Guard
leased Thunder Bay Island Light to the Thunder Bay Island Preservation Society (TBILPS).
Under TBILPS's guidance, the light has been the object of an intense rescue effort. They have been the subject of a feature article in Lighthouse Digest
.
In 2004, Stephen B. Tongue and TBILPS published a book on Thunder Bay Island's history and heritage, with proceeds assigned to the historic preservation of the island.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
. The island is one of eight constituent islands of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge
The Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for eight Michigan islands in the North American Great Lakes. Owned by the United States federal government, they were set aside for ecosystem protection purposes by President Franklin D. Roosevelt 1943.Charity, Little Charity,...
. The island is part of Alpena Township
Alpena Township, Michigan
Alpena Township is a civil township of Alpena County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 9,788.- Communities :* The City of Alpena is surrounded by the township, but is administratively autonomous...
in Alpena County
Alpena County, Michigan
Alpena County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 29,598. The county seat is Alpena. It is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.It was founded originally in 1840 as Anomickee County...
. It marks the entrance to Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay (Michigan)
Thunder Bay is a bay in the U.S. state of Michigan on Lake Huron. The bay extends from North Point at to South Point at .The city of Alpena lies at the mouth of the Thunder Bay River at...
, the harbor of Alpena, Michigan
Alpena, Michigan
Alpena is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alpena County. It is considered to be part of Northern Michigan. The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is located in the city. The population was 10,483 at the 2010 census...
and location of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve is a U.S. National Marine Sanctuary on Thunder Bay, part of Lake Huron, within the U.S. state of Michigan. The sanctuary and underwater preserve protects an estimated 116 historically significant shipwrecks ranging from nineteenth...
.
The island is the home of a historic lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
, which in its current form dates to 1857, and adjacent quarters for the lightkeeper. The island also contains the sites of quarters for lifesaving service personnel and private-sector fishermen.
Light station
Thunder Bay Island Light, located on Thunder Bay Island's southeast tip, is one of the oldest operating lighthouses in Michigan. The third operating U.S. lighthouse in Lake Huron was built here in 1831, but it disintegrated almost at once and was rebuilt in 1832 of local limestone. This 40' high (12m) 1830s light tower was raised 10 feet (3 m) to a height of 50 feet (15m) in 1857, and sheathed with brick. A Fourth Order Fresnel lensFresnel lens
A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...
was installed. This 1857 light tower is the current Thunder Bay Island Light, although the tower has been further altered and is currently 63 feet high.
A fog bell was installed in 1858, and the lightkeeper's house was rebuilt in 1868. A steam-powered fog horn was added in 1871, and a fog signal building sheltering the fog signal apparatus was constructed in 1892.
The lighthouse was manned during the seasons of Great Lakes navigation from 1832 until automation in 1983, more than 150 years.
Lifesaving station
Thunder Bay Island was also the site of a station, opened in 1876, operated by the United States Life-Saving ServiceUnited States Life-Saving Service
The United States Life-Saving Service was a United States government agency that grew out of private and local humanitarian efforts to save the lives of shipwrecked mariners and passengers...
. It operated under that name until 1939, when the Life-Saving Service was consolidated into the Coast Guard.
Fishing station
In addition to the lightkeepers and lifesaving servicemen, who were employees of the U.S. federal government, private-sector families lived on Thunder Bay Island in the 1800s. During the 1830s and 1840s, a commodity market in barrelled fishFish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
arose on Lake Huron. The fresh-caught fish was quickly brought to a fishing station after being caught, and salted for preservation. A fishing station sprouted on Thunder Bay Island during this period, and an 1846 gazetteer counted 160 settlers on the island and 31 fishing boats that called the island their home port. Most of these fishing boats were small Mackinaw boat
Mackinaw boat
The Mackinaw boat is a loose term for a light, open sailboat used in the interior of North America during the fur trading era. Within this term two different Mackinaw boats evolved: one for use on the upper Great Lakes, and the other for use on the upper Missouri River and its principal...
s. The total catch is said to have been 12,000 barrels of fish per year. The Thunder Bay Island fishing station supported a small general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
.
After a few decades, however, the yield of Lake Huron fish declined. The Thunder Bay Island fishing station became a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
.
Current status
The Thunder Bay Island Light was automated in 1983. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on August 19, 1984; however, the lighthouse and adjoining infrastructure resources have deteriorated since automation. In 1997 the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
leased Thunder Bay Island Light to the Thunder Bay Island Preservation Society (TBILPS).
Under TBILPS's guidance, the light has been the object of an intense rescue effort. They have been the subject of a feature article in Lighthouse Digest
Lighthouse Digest
Lighthouse Digest is a specialty magazine for lighthouse and maritime history enthusiasts published in East Machias, Maine. Launched in May, 1992, by FogHorn Publishing, it is dedicated to preserving lighthouse history, current and yesteryear, for future generations.-Scope:Coverage includes...
.
In 2004, Stephen B. Tongue and TBILPS published a book on Thunder Bay Island's history and heritage, with proceeds assigned to the historic preservation of the island.
External links
- Lighthouse Central, Photographs, History, Directions and Way points for Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse, The Ultimate Guide to East Michigan Lighthouses by Jerry Roach (Publisher: Bugs Publishing LLC - July 2006). ISBN 0974797715; ISBN 9780974797717.
- Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
- Michigan State University - Thunder Bay Island.
- Satelite view of Thunder Bay Island. Google mapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
. - Thunder Bay Island Light, Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light.