Chequamegon Point Light

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Chequamegon Point Light
Cheqpt.jpg
Chequamegon Point Light
LocationLong Island, Wisconsin
Coordinates 46°43′42.55″N90°48′33.38″W / 46.7284861°N 90.8092722°W / 46.7284861; -90.8092722 Coordinates: 46°43′42.55″N90°48′33.38″W / 46.7284861°N 90.8092722°W / 46.7284861; -90.8092722 [1]
Constructed1896  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
FoundationOriginally on a concrete pier
ConstructionIron
Tower height35 feet (11 m)
Tower shapeWhite skeletal
First lit1896
Automated1964
Focal height42 feet (13 m) [2]
LensFourth order Fresnel lens
Range7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi) [1]
Characteristic Light Signal FI G 4s.gif Fl G 4s  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
ARLHS no. USA164
USCG no.7-15295  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Chequamegon Point Lighthouse is a lighthouse located on Long Island, one of the Apostle Islands, in Lake Superior in Ashland County, Wisconsin, near the city of Bayfield. [3]

Contents

The Chequamegon Point light was maintained by the keeper of the La Pointe Light (about a mile away) and its original lens came from there. A boardwalk connected them, so light keepers could ride bicycles between the lights. [4] It is currently owned by the National Park Service and part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

The lighthouse was moved back on to the shoreline after it was replaced by a modern D9 cylindrical tower (a "sewer pipe" with light and fog signal) constructed in 1986. [4]

In 1868 the original was established on Long Island's western end, marking the entrance to Chequamegon Bay and with it the towns of Washburn and Ashland. [4]

In 1896, it was replaced by a square, white steel room sitting on steel legs. The room is topped by an octagonal lantern with a red roof. The concept echoes that of Lake Huron's Alpena Light. [4] There are also skeletal towers of various other designs in the western Great Lakes. [5]

In 1986, the Coast Guard moved the light back from the shore, where it was threatened by erosion. Access is by walking from the dock at the La Pointe station along the beach.

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References

  1. 1 2 Light List, Volume VII, Great Lakes (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard.
  2. Pepper, Terry. "Seeing the Light: Lighthouses on the western Great Lakes". Archived from the original on 2008-01-30.
  3. "Chequamegon Lighthouse". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Wobser, David, Chequamegon Point Light, from an article that originally appeared in Great Laker Magazine at boatnerd.com.
  5. See, List of Tower Types, Terry Pepper, Seeing the Light. Archived 2009-11-15 at the Wayback Machine

Further reading

USCG archive photo USCGchequamegonlight.JPG
USCG archive photo