Old Michigan City Light

{{Short description|Lighthouse in Indiana, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox lighthouse

| image_name = OldMichiganCityLight.jpg

| location= Washington Park, Michigan City, Indiana

| coordinates = {{coord|41|43|22|N|86|54|21|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| yearlit = 1858

| yeardeactivated = 1904

| height = {{convert|40|ft|m|abbr=on}}{{cite web |url=http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/lists/towers.htm |author=Pepper, Terry |work=Seeing the Light |title=Database of Tower Heights |publisher=terrypepper.com |access-date=2009-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000918211817/http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/lists/towers.htm |archive-date=2000-09-18 |url-status=dead }}

| focalheight = {{convert|60|ft|m}}{{cite web |url=http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/lists/focalheight.htm |author=Pepper, Terry |work=Seeing the Light |title=Database of Focal Heights |publisher=terrypepper.com |access-date=2009-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830100452/http://www.terrypepper.com/Lights/lists/focalheight.htm |archive-date=2008-08-30 |url-status=dead }}

| lens = Fifth Order FresnelNational Park Service, [http://www.nps.gov/history/Maritime/light/michcity.htm Maritime History Project, Inventory of Historic Lights, Michigan City Lights.]

| module = {{Infobox NRHP

| embed = yes

| name = Michigan City Lighthouse

| added = November 5, 1974

| area = {{convert|1|acre}}

| refnum = 74000023{{NRISref|2009a}}

}}

}}

The Old Michigan City Light is a decommissioned lighthouse located in the harbor of Michigan City, Indiana.[http://wlol.arlhs.com/lighthouse/USA913.html Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society, Old Michigan City (Lake Michigan) Light ARLHS USA-913][http://arlhs.com/awards/U_list.html Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society, World List of Lights.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421203756/http://arlhs.com/awards/U_list.html |date=2009-04-21 }}

Built in 1858 at a cost of $8,000, this lighthouse, replaced an 1837 brick & stone light built at the edge of Lake Michigan. It was the second light at the site, and the predecessor to the Michigan City East Light, to which the lantern, lens and light were moved in 1904; it being the new light at the end of the newly extended pier.[http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/Michigan/MichCityOld.htm Wobser, David, Old Michigan City Lighthouse] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727003208/http://www.lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/Michigan/MichCityOld.htm |date=2009-07-27 }}, at boatnerd.com.

It was remodeled in 1904. Seven Lighthouse keepers and fourteen assistant keepers served here from 1837-1940.Sign posted by lighthouse

A fourth order Fresnel lens is on display.

It is one of a dozen past or present lighthouses in Indiana.{{cite rowlett|in}}

Location

The lighthouse is located in Washington Park. It is open every day except Mondays from 1 to 4 p.m., except in winter.{{cite web|url=http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=231|title=Anderson, Kraig, Lighthouse friends, Michigan City Lighthouse.}}

See also

References

{{reflist|33em}}

Further reading

{{refbegin|33em}}

  • Andreas, A.T. (1884) ''History of Chicago from the Earliest Period to the Present Time,
  • Chicago's Front Door'', Chicago Public Library Digital Collection, website.
  • Chicago, Scribner's Monthly (September 1875) Vol. X, No. 5.
  • [http://www.lighthousedepot.com/lite_digest.asp?action=get_article&sk=1705 Graham, Charlote, Another Step into History at Old Michigan City Light (August, 2003)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614085543/http://www.lighthousedepot.com/lite_digest.asp?action=get_article&sk=1705 |date=2011-06-14 }} Lighthouse Digest.
  • Harris, Patricia. Michigan City: Indiana's Only Lighthouse. The Keeper's Log (Spring, 1987), pp. 22–25.
  • Hyde, Charles K., and Ann and John Mahan. (1995) The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. {{ISBN|0-8143-2554-8}} {{ISBN|978-0-8143-2554-4}}.
  • Havighurst, Walter (1943) The Long Ships Passing: The Story of the Great Lakes, Macmillan Publishers.
  • Karamanski, T. Ed., Historic Lighthouses and Navigational Aids of the Illinois Shore of Lake Michigan Loyola University & Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, (1989).
  • Longstreet, Stephen (1973) Chicago 1860-1919 (New York: McKay).
  • Lopez, Victor. "This Old Lighthouse: Chicago Harbor Beacon Gets a Facelift." Coast Guard (September, 1997), pp. 24–25.
  • Mayer, Harold M. (1957) The Port of Chicago University of Chicago Press.
  • {{cite web|url=http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/index.htm|author=Pepper, Terry|title=Seeing the Light: Lighthouses on the western Great Lakes}}
  • Rice, Mary J., Chicago: Port to the World (Follet Publishers, 1969).
  • Sapulski, Wayne S., (2001) Lighthouses of Lake Michigan: Past and Present (Paperback) (Fowlerville: Wilderness Adventure Books) {{ISBN|0-923568-47-6}}; {{ISBN|978-0-923568-47-4}}.
  • {{cite web |url=http://clarke.cmich.edu/lighthouses/index.htm |author=Wagner, John L. |title=Beacons Shining in the Night: The Lighthouses of Michigan |publisher=Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University }}

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