Welcome to the Granite Island Light Station Web Site

August - 2004

April 27th, 2000 marked our first visit as new owners and the first for me since 1963. Photo documentation was made of conditions as we found them. The stone structure was in good shape, however the roof had caved in and the elements virtually destroyed the interior. One major repair job!! Logistics and access were the biggest problems, as no docking facility existed until we constructed a suspended steel dock and stairs on the South side. (A late November 2001 Nor-Easter, unfortunately, has completely destroyed the dock.)The 1903 derrick was rebuilt and supplies and people were moved on a 22' rigid hull Zodiac which logged over 3000 miles in 2000 and another combined 4000 miles in 2001 with the addition of a 30' Zodiac 920 with enclosed cabin and an old 1946 gillnet commercial fishing boat, the Oluf Mechelson.

Nighttime view - August 2004

Impressions? The "rock" has a lot of dimensional character with its cliffs and cravasses, "tide" pools and rocky bays. Approaching the island by boat from a distance reminds a little of St. Michaels Mt in Cornwall. The building is a 2,408 sq. ft. stone dwelling circa 1868 with: oil house, out-house, fog-bell tower and steel light tower. The 2.49 acre island, and light-house quarters is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Energy systems which were designed by Superior Electric in Marquette, consist of 4 solar panels, 2 wind generators, a 5K generator for back-up; a bank of storage batteries and a Trace inverter to turn 24 v DC into 110 v AC. Each room is also equipped with a gas light as well as electric lights and a gas/log type heating stove. Communications include cell service, an island based computer, 8 video cameras and weather station. We monitor and control systems, lights, heat, and camera’s from the internet. We host NOAA's Coastwatch Research camera's photographing 360 degrees of Lake Superior views each hour. Typical physical access is from mid-April through mid-December on average. Great restoration progress was made this summer. We hosted visitors from Marquette Ch 6, to a German TV network; State Reps and Senators, NOAA scientists, Detroit Free Press writers, the Superior Theatre Group, the board of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society & a birthday get-together. (mine). Archival research produced keeper logbooks and early photo's.