[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]
t Y A N 0 PT 'Socley VK This document was prepared in part 1324 through financial assistance provided by M5 the.Coastal Zone' Management "Act of 1.972 S7 administered by fhe Office of Coastal Zone MIanagement 1983 National Oceanic and Atmosphehc Administration ALCONA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY STURGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE RESTORATION PROJEC@/ Vy(,7-,-,ty of CSC Library MICHIGAN COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 1932-1933 YEAR-END REPORT LRP- G I This document was prepared through a grant provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, administered by the Office of Coastal Zone Management (OCZM), National Oceanic and Admospheric Administra- tion (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce via the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Land Resource Programs Division and in part, with funds from the Alcona County Historical Society. REVIEW OF RESTORATION ACTIVITIES The Alcona County Historical Society, with financial assis- tance from the Michigan Coastal Management Program, administered by the Land Resource Programs Division of the Depa rtment of Natu- ral Resources, was able to complete several important restoration tasks at the Sturgeon Point Lighthouse property. These accomplish- ments have greatly enhanced the educational and interpretive op- portunities offered to visitors of this historical maritime facil- ity. The following narrative describes the specific tasks that have been undertaken during the last year as a result of this pro- ject and Coastal Program grant dollars. The Marine Reading Roo The Alcona County Historical Society purchased the necessary lumber material and constructed a wooden bookcase in the Marine Reading Room. The bookcase is mounted on the wall, is nine feet long and contains three shelves. This shelving is being used to store books and other literature about the history of the develop- ment of the Great Lakes, a couple of small artifacts of local maritime significance and old photographs. It is expected that as the library material is enlarged, space on the bookcase will be used to house the additional books, thereby replacing these other items. The Society also constructed a wooden reading table and benches of early design. The table is three feet wide and-five feet long and is located in the center of the reading room. The benches are the same length as the table and have been stained and finished to match the bookcase. Outdoor Historical Interpretive Displays The Society poured six concrete slabs in various locations around the lighthouse and living quarters to be used to mount maritime artifacts donated by individuals and/or private corpo- rations. The concrete slabs are six inches thick and have dimen- sions of six feet by six feet. They are situated on the perimeter of the grounds to the west and north of the living quarters. The wooden rudder from the vessel "Marine City" is mounted on one of these slabs directly behind (to the west) of the living quarters and can be easily observed by visitors either before entering the lighthouse structure or after exiting the building. The Historical Society also has in its possession a steam winch and mooring bits which will be mounted on two other slabs very soon. The remaining artifacts to be placed on display include an old anchor, an early radar housing unit, and a steam donkey engine. Highway Signage Six metal highway signs were purchased and installed at var- ious key points along a state trunkline and county roads to direct traffic to the lighthouse site. The signs identify the Sturgeon Point Lighthouse and provides a,directional arrow to allow inte- rested travelers the opportunity to be guided to the site. The wording on the signs read: "Sturgeon Point Lighthouse Marine Museum". Two signs are situated along Highway US-23, directing northbound traffic from-Harrisville to the lighthouse via Lake Shore Drive coming fro-m the south. The second sign along US-23 iss located just north of the US-23 and Alcona Road intersection,_ directing southbound traffic coming from the north to the light- house via Alcona Road. There is a third sign to direct traffic from Alcona Road into Lake Shore Drive, thereby allowing this traffic to reach its destination from the no rth. There are two signs at the corner of Lake Shore Drive and Sturgeon Point Rd., one each for both north and southbound traffic. The last sign is located at the end of Sturgeon Point Road where it meets the shore of Lake Huron, directing visitors to the parking lot for the Sturgeon Point Lighthouse property. The signs have white lettering on a blue background and are maintained by arrangement with the Alcona County Road Commission. The Road Commission removes the signs in the fall after the light- house closes for the season, stores them during the winter months and then puts them up again in the spring just prior to the re- opening of the lighthouse. - Historic Photographic Display Several historic maritime photographs have been mounted into plain dark wooden frames, representative of the type of frames used at the turn of the century, and hung at various locations in the living quarters of the lighthouse property. Wood Shelving in "Fishing" and "Life Saving Service" Rooms The Historical Society has acquired, by donation of a private individual, old ship's planking which is being used to construct wooden shelves in both the Fishing and Life Saving Service rooms. These rooms are located upstairs on the second level where resto- ration efforts are somewhat hehind accomplishments completed on the main floor of the living-quarters. These shelves will contain a variety of maritime artifacts, some of which have been donated by local residents and are original property of the lighthouse and life saving station from when it was active. Three significantly valuable artifacts have been located and acquired by the Historical Society and will be placed on display in the Life Saving Service Room. A gass hook, used by servicemen in the life saving boat to snag people from the water, mooring alongside a troubled vessel, or for shoving off from another boat has been graciously donated for use in the lighthouse museum. This gass hook is approximately sixteen feet in length. An oar about 12 feet long and a steering oar 20 feet long, both orignally from a life saving vessel stationed at Sturgeon Point, have also been given to the Society for display in this room. Miscellaneous Educational/Interpretive Activities The Historical Society was also able to purchase approximately thirty books dealing with early Great Lakes pioneers, shipwrecks, lighthouses, and other Great Lakes maritime historical accounts. These books have been placed on the bookcase in the Marine Reading Room and are available for review by visitors to the lighthouse. Additionally, a mural was painted on the wall at the foot of the stairs, showing an open door view into the base of the tower of the lighthouse, including the iron spiral staircase. The U.S. Coast Guard built a retaining wall to block entrance into the tower from the living quarters. However, this was the original passway used by the lightkeeper when going back and forth between the lighthouse tower and the living quarters-. The artist-'s time to paint this mural was donated as a gift to the Historical Society. 31 Historical bociely @bllwx X: ce? 0 7, ALCONA HISTORICAL SOCIETy I of I XRLY WORKSHEET FOR DNR COASTAL MANAGD= PRoGRM, STURGEON pOINT LMHTHO(JSE- MARINE MUSEUM Name Post Offi, c Description 'Floyd BenChauser@' Black River 6 Framing Pictures, educational display Floyd Benghauser Black River 8 Digging footings, putting in forms, pouring cement slabs John Ashford Harrisville 8 it it it Steve Ashford Harrisville 8 It It It! It Mike Johnson Harrisville 4 It Dave Ashford Lincoln 3 ting rudder on slab John Ashford Harrisville 3 7 Prank Tompkins Black River 12 Transporting and erecting rudder Ployd Benghauser Black River it It: It t 12- TErecti rudd, $3.351hr. $214-40 ALCONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY 1 of I MATERIALS PURCHASED FOR DNR COASTAL MANAGEWM PROGRAM.* STURGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE RMORATION PROJWT J6 Where purchased K@dreab Material Description Cost North Eastern Concrete Harrisville, MI Concrete for six slabs 5 7 Aicona Road ;11 commission Lincolnp MI Highway marker signs' 28712@ K-Mart Alpena., MI Picture frams (6) 29-85 K-Mart Alpena., MI Picture frames (10) 37 30 Alpena SE-55T- and Wire ''Alpena, MI Channel iron for mounting rudder on slabs 53 87 Hillsdale Pub, .11H I lsdale., MI Books for Library 92 401 Great Lakes Historical Soc, Vermillion, CH Books for Library 70 851 $774 85 ALCONA HISTORICAL SOC33TY Paga*l-pf 1. Eduoational. Gifts And value, given to Sturgeon Point Lighthouse and Marine Museum., DNR Coastal Management Progrsa Desoription of Gift Value' 41 x 91 bookcase-for library $150 00 Art PjQpr- 'apnic-8 31 x 5t trestle table and benches for library 200 00 Books: Alcona-The Lake Pioneers, Gauthier 3 75 First Hundred Years., Westcott., Bailey 2 50 American Practical Navigation, USN Hydrological Office 10 00 South Manitou Story, Crowner 5 00 Ladies of the Lakej Clary 24 951 1 Chart (frame'd), Beauford Wind Scale 5 00 1 Chart (framed)., Weather Signals 5 00 ro @406 1 201 National Gypsum Company Cement Division September 28, 1983 Alcona Historical Society's Sturgeon Point Lighthouse Museum C/o Mr. Floyd C. Benghauser 4028 Black RiverRoad Black River, MI 48721 Dear Sir The Vessel Department of National Gypsum has presented to the Sturgeon Point Lighthouse -museum a steam deck winch from one of our Great Lake's vessels and one set of ballards from the Steamer J. A. W. Iqglehart. The 7 value of these items as use equipment is $1600. I am looking forward to Visiting your museum. Sincerely, Norman R. Martihson Fleet Engineer NRIVI: eo Ford Avenue Alpena, Michigan 49707 517 354-4771 Manufacturers of Allentown and Huron cements Awn 7 conn uounLy, neview OFFICIAL ALC ONA COUNTY SEAT NEWSPAPER-SINCE 1877 HARRISVILLE, MICHIGAN 48740 EIGHT PAGES, PLUS FOUR PAGE TV GUIDE TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1983 Nev. Boa, by Ma About twent@ . . . . . Wednesday niR house annex ti Conservation az; ground in Alcon County Comi sen, who is vier Pines RUD re A 4 the eight cou- district) and rj@@ son C. -rVAIG heade, e eflo4 County RC&D b Recently the recipient of gra! i k I I)rojects which mg and preli, 70 merely waiting the regional be; quests for en gin k, i Wolverine Park i Area and Chebo: Karsen annou No board of comm! are going to ha,: t, board to wor). projects for Ale., them into H m- i st and approval." X "The mai-- county '& D b fish re.. .,g conservatiot. prr Kmen said. "E-. can't fund the tiurnish technka for projectit ire- A14 we can do for th C John MacM#--! THE STURGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE as ftsrerie of someoomp and ce,e,n,,ny Salu,clay as membels -1 the Spluce VFW Post 6466 dedicated a new. flagpole wW act &3 chur Gheen photo with Kevin Smi Kaye McGui- Alona Historical Society is busy by Bonnie Benghauser Richard Moehl of Ann Arbor donated notepaper,- if you haven't noticed, winter and summer scenes of things are happening at the the lighthouse he had taken, lighthouse. We have had two to the Historical Society to boys from the Emergency sell. Youth program assigned to Elsewhere, the Harrisville work four days a week scrap- Girls Scout Troop and their ing walls, painting, repairing mothers, with Alexina Le- the chimney. etc. Clair, cleaned up the Bailey Members of the community school and yard in May. It is have donated time and items open weekends or by appoint- to complete the Museum. ment by calling the Wilfred David Gauthier donated his Myers 736-8135. time to do the brickwork on Tom and Diane Carroll the chimney. The boys, Beng, donated a building in Harris-. and Frank Tompkin built a ville to be used as a mini- cap for the chimney to keep museum eventually. the weather and the birds out. Bill Carr, Society presi- Bill Hanson volunteered his dent, called a board meeting time and equipment to mow in June, at which time Ri- the lawn until his machine chard Thompson of Spruce, broke down. Harold Lilly Tom Carroll of Harrisville, finished the project. and Ray Koertge of Lincoln, Jane Buhl donated a tub were appointed to the ex- and wringer for the summer panded board of directors. kitchen. The Donald Nuffers Barbara Tait is busy with of Greenbush donated a wash- preparations for the Straw- board for the tub. berry Festival at Bailey Art Piper made the benches School on July 3rd from 2-4 for the library. The dining P.M. Put this date on your room and kitchen curtains calendar to round out your were donated by the Black Fourth of July weekend. River Ladies Group, the li- brary curtains by the Lester Langes. The Presbyterian Women's Association donated Remember the two new brooms to the clean- Ing closet. Woody Moore' and Chuck Fisher started painting the Poison Center upstairs rooms this week. Ashford, Builders donated The Western Michigan Poi- their time laying forms-and on Center wants to alert the cements for the pads: on-the grounds for the outdoor;dis- public about the possibility of -plays, such-as the rudder from arsenic poisoning from some the ship-Marine City --that types of ant poisons. The two products most often involved burned- just,- north of the in cases treated by WMPC are lighthouse. Terro Ant Killer by Senoret iL 77 1. x. APO 77- - Ze- 44 9:TV Li Al WWI ww. .71 iL Ag@ @ 74@@- Olt :kz ,VIP ps U) 0 .Y7 q.T !114 r No NZ, '9' M'' w4A". wi I I .I I INNIIIIIII IN, I -1 3 6668 14103 e t I I F I I 1, h6l I I I I I I I I I