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| Answer to Quiz #23 - August 20, 2005 1. What country can be seen in this image other than the United States? 2. What is the name of this lighthouse and where is it located? 3. What famous ship wreck that was the subject of a popular 1976 song happened 17 miles west of the bay on which this lighthouse is located? |
| Used by permission of Dale Niesen. Click on thumbnail to see a larger image. |
| Answers: 1. Canada 2. Point Iroquois Lighthouse on the east end of Whitefish Bay, near Sault Ste. Marie, MI 3. The Edmund Fitzgerald |
| Computer Wallpaper For those of you who are interested, Dale suggests using the photo as wallpaper for your computer. You can download it by right clicking on the picture. Dale took the picture on July 4, 2005 while he was on vacation. |
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| Iroquois Point Lighthouse |
Historical Information
http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/superior/iroquois/iroquois.htm
With the planned opening of the new lock at the Soo in 1855, large vessels would
Finally be able to sail directly from Lake Superior to the lower lakes, and it was evident
that the increase in maritime commerce would be both dramatic and immediate. While
the Light at Whitefish Point served well to guide vessels around the Point after which it
was named, the location of the entrance to the St. Mary's River remained unmarked,
and it was evident that a light was needed to help funnel vessels into the river mouth at
the southeast end of Whitefish Bay. Congress appropriated $5,000 for the project on
March 3, 1853, and a site was selected for the station that same year at the northern tip
of Iroquois Point. Iroquois Point had received its name in 1662 after the local Ojibwa
encountered a band of intruding Iroquois encamped on the Point. The following
morning both groups were in a full-pitched battle, and by the end of the day, the entire
band of Iroquois had been wiped-out and the Point named for eternity.
http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/superior/iroquois/iroquois.htm
With the planned opening of the new lock at the Soo in 1855, large vessels would
Finally be able to sail directly from Lake Superior to the lower lakes, and it was evident
that the increase in maritime commerce would be both dramatic and immediate. While
the Light at Whitefish Point served well to guide vessels around the Point after which it
was named, the location of the entrance to the St. Mary's River remained unmarked,
and it was evident that a light was needed to help funnel vessels into the river mouth at
the southeast end of Whitefish Bay. Congress appropriated $5,000 for the project on
March 3, 1853, and a site was selected for the station that same year at the northern tip
of Iroquois Point. Iroquois Point had received its name in 1662 after the local Ojibwa
encountered a band of intruding Iroquois encamped on the Point. The following
morning both groups were in a full-pitched battle, and by the end of the day, the entire
band of Iroquois had been wiped-out and the Point named for eternity.
Map of Whitefish Bay, showing the
location of the Point Iroquois and
Whitefish Bay lighthouses.
Click on thumbnail to see larger image of map.
location of the Point Iroquois and
Whitefish Bay lighthouses.
Click on thumbnail to see larger image of map.
| Lighthouse. Click on thumbnail to see Canada from lighthouse. |
| For a beautiful 360 degree view from the lighthouse, see: http://history.eup.k12.mi.us/local/iroquois/View/view.html To read about the National Park Service Maritime Preservation Program click here. For lighthouse photos, see: http://www.lighthousestampsociety.org/photos/ |
Dale has agreed to share some of his photos of light houses with us. He gives
permission to download them for personal use only. If you would like to use them for
other purposes, please contact him at d.niesen@sbcglobal.net
permission to download them for personal use only. If you would like to use them for
other purposes, please contact him at d.niesen@sbcglobal.net
| All photos copyright (c) 2005 Dale Niesen. |
| Michigan Lighthouse Photo Gallery |
| Copper Harbor Lighthouse |
| Sturgeon Point Lighthouse |
| Detroit River Lighthouse |
| Round Island Lighthouse |
| Big Bay Point Lighthouse |
| Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse |
Some of our readers confused the Iroquois Point Lighthouse with the Whitefish Point
Lighthouse at Whitefish Point, MI. See:http://lighthousegetaway.com/lights/w_fish.html
and http://www.shipwreckmuseum.com/museum.phtml:
Whitefish Point marks the heavily travelled approach to Whitefish Bay and the Soo
locks, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It is the only active light remaining along the
southeast shore of Lake Superior. This area is known as the Shipwreck Coast, and is
the site of more than half of the 550 known shipwrecks on the lake, including the
infamous Edmund Fitzgerald in November 1975.
Lighthouse at Whitefish Point, MI. See:http://lighthousegetaway.com/lights/w_fish.html
and http://www.shipwreckmuseum.com/museum.phtml:
Whitefish Point marks the heavily travelled approach to Whitefish Bay and the Soo
locks, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It is the only active light remaining along the
southeast shore of Lake Superior. This area is known as the Shipwreck Coast, and is
the site of more than half of the 550 known shipwrecks on the lake, including the
infamous Edmund Fitzgerald in November 1975.
In 1847, Congress appropriated $5,000 for
a light. However, due to cost overruns an
additional sum of $3,298 was required. In
early 1849, lighthouse put into service, one
of the two first lighthouses on Lake
Superior (Copper Harbor being the other
lighthouse.) Whitefish Bay Lighthouse is
now the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was on its way to
this lighthouse when it sank with its entire
crew on November 10, 1975.
a light. However, due to cost overruns an
additional sum of $3,298 was required. In
early 1849, lighthouse put into service, one
of the two first lighthouses on Lake
Superior (Copper Harbor being the other
lighthouse.) Whitefish Bay Lighthouse is
now the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was on its way to
this lighthouse when it sank with its entire
crew on November 10, 1975.
See great pictures and more info on the Whitefish Point Lighthouse at:
http://www.nightbeacon.com/zlighthouses/lakesuperior/individuallights/Whitefish_Point_Lighthouse.htm
http://www.nightbeacon.com/zlighthouses/lakesuperior/individuallights/Whitefish_Point_Lighthouse.htm
There are many sources of information on lighthouses in the U.S. and its territories.
When I posted this photo, I didn't realize how interesting and full of history lighthouses
could be. Here are various links to sites with all kinds of information on them about
lighthouses. There is even one on women lighthouse keepers. See:
U.S. Coast Guard Historic Light Stations, listed by state and U.S. territory:
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/USCGLightList.html
Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy
http://www.michiganlights.com/index.htm
U.S. Lighthouse History: Breaking the Barrier, Women Lighthouse Keepers & Other
Female Employees of the U. S. Lighthouse Board/Service
http://www.nightbeacon.com/lighthouseinformation/articles/Women_Lighthouse_Keepers.htm
All kinds of neat information:
http://www.nightbeacon.com/
When I posted this photo, I didn't realize how interesting and full of history lighthouses
could be. Here are various links to sites with all kinds of information on them about
lighthouses. There is even one on women lighthouse keepers. See:
U.S. Coast Guard Historic Light Stations, listed by state and U.S. territory:
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/USCGLightList.html
Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy
http://www.michiganlights.com/index.htm
U.S. Lighthouse History: Breaking the Barrier, Women Lighthouse Keepers & Other
Female Employees of the U. S. Lighthouse Board/Service
http://www.nightbeacon.com/lighthouseinformation/articles/Women_Lighthouse_Keepers.htm
All kinds of neat information:
http://www.nightbeacon.com/
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| The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald |
From www.boatnerd.com/fitz/, www.shipwreckmuseum.com/fitz.phtml, and
http://www.corfid.com/gl/wreck.htm:
At the time it was launched in 1958, the 729-foot long, 75-foot wide freighter S.S.
Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest ship to ply the Great Lakes. The Fitzgerald cleared
Superior, Wisconsin, on her last trip on November 9, 1975, with a cargo of 26,116
tons of taconite pellets consigned to Detroit. Traveling down Lake Superior in company
with ARTHUR M. ANDERSON of the United States Steel Corporation's Great Lakes
Fleet, she encountered heavy weather - a terrible storm with 60 MPH winds and waves
in excess of 15 feet. As the storm built, her experienced Captain Ernest McSorley bore
north across Lake Superior, seeking the relative shelter of the Canadian shore and
Whitefish Bay. In the early evening of November 10th, the Fitzgerlad suddenly
foundered approximately 17 miles from the entrance to Whitefish Bay (47º North
Latitude, 85º 7' West Longitude).
Captain McSorley indicated he was having difficulty and taking on water. She was
listing to port and had two of three ballast pumps working. She had lost her radar and
its backup and damage was noted to ballast tank vent pipes and he was overheard on
the radio saying, "don't allow nobody (sic) on deck."
The storm took out the power to the Whitefish Point Lighthouse's light and radio
beacon. Though the light was brought back on line, the radio beacon was not. The
Arthur M. Anderson, within 10 miles of the Fitzgerald, received reports that the ship
was listing to the starboard and of other structural damages to the vessel. McSorley
said it was the worst storm he had ever seen. At 7:10 PM, Captain McSorley delivered
what was to be his final message: "We're holding our own."
The Arthur M. Anderson lost the Fitzgerald's image on its radar screens at 7:25 PM. All
29 officers and crew, including a Great Lakes Maritime Academy cadet, went down
with the ship, which lies broken in two sections in 530 feet of water.
Three expeditions were conducted to the wreck in 1989, 1994, and 1995 by the Great
Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. They have been the subject of some controversy.
On July 4th, 1995 the ship's bell and stanchion were recovered from where they lay
beneath 550 feet of Lake Superior. A replica of the bell, engraved with the names of the
crew, was left in its place. The bell was presented to the relatives of the crew and rung
thirty times -- once for each member of the crew and a final time in honor of all those
who have lost their lives at sea. The bell was given to the Great Lakes Shipwreck
Museum at Whitefish Point to serve as a memorial to the ship and crew. (text taken
from http://www.nauticalworks.com/fitz).
To read the lyrics of Gordon Lightfoot's song, or to listen to a midi version of it, see
http://www.corfid.com/gl/wreck.htm.
http://www.corfid.com/gl/wreck.htm:
At the time it was launched in 1958, the 729-foot long, 75-foot wide freighter S.S.
Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest ship to ply the Great Lakes. The Fitzgerald cleared
Superior, Wisconsin, on her last trip on November 9, 1975, with a cargo of 26,116
tons of taconite pellets consigned to Detroit. Traveling down Lake Superior in company
with ARTHUR M. ANDERSON of the United States Steel Corporation's Great Lakes
Fleet, she encountered heavy weather - a terrible storm with 60 MPH winds and waves
in excess of 15 feet. As the storm built, her experienced Captain Ernest McSorley bore
north across Lake Superior, seeking the relative shelter of the Canadian shore and
Whitefish Bay. In the early evening of November 10th, the Fitzgerlad suddenly
foundered approximately 17 miles from the entrance to Whitefish Bay (47º North
Latitude, 85º 7' West Longitude).
Captain McSorley indicated he was having difficulty and taking on water. She was
listing to port and had two of three ballast pumps working. She had lost her radar and
its backup and damage was noted to ballast tank vent pipes and he was overheard on
the radio saying, "don't allow nobody (sic) on deck."
The storm took out the power to the Whitefish Point Lighthouse's light and radio
beacon. Though the light was brought back on line, the radio beacon was not. The
Arthur M. Anderson, within 10 miles of the Fitzgerald, received reports that the ship
was listing to the starboard and of other structural damages to the vessel. McSorley
said it was the worst storm he had ever seen. At 7:10 PM, Captain McSorley delivered
what was to be his final message: "We're holding our own."
The Arthur M. Anderson lost the Fitzgerald's image on its radar screens at 7:25 PM. All
29 officers and crew, including a Great Lakes Maritime Academy cadet, went down
with the ship, which lies broken in two sections in 530 feet of water.
Three expeditions were conducted to the wreck in 1989, 1994, and 1995 by the Great
Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. They have been the subject of some controversy.
On July 4th, 1995 the ship's bell and stanchion were recovered from where they lay
beneath 550 feet of Lake Superior. A replica of the bell, engraved with the names of the
crew, was left in its place. The bell was presented to the relatives of the crew and rung
thirty times -- once for each member of the crew and a final time in honor of all those
who have lost their lives at sea. The bell was given to the Great Lakes Shipwreck
Museum at Whitefish Point to serve as a memorial to the ship and crew. (text taken
from http://www.nauticalworks.com/fitz).
To read the lyrics of Gordon Lightfoot's song, or to listen to a midi version of it, see
http://www.corfid.com/gl/wreck.htm.
| The Edmund Fitzgerald along the St. Mary River May 1975 Taken by Bob Campbell http://www.corfid.com/gl/wreck.htm |
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| Congratulations to Our Winners Ken Smith Mary E. South Catherine Budd Gary Rice Barbara Cangiamilla Mary Grindol Peggy Rooney Betsy Scott Judy Cook Jerilyn Foster Brad Potts Mary Fraser Carol Haueter Stanley Read Debbie Anderson Kay (Jokay) N. S. Ferguson John Dranchak If your name has been left off the list of winners, please let me know. It was inadvertent. |
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your picture. You will also receive a free Forensic Genealogy CD or a 10%
discount towards the purchase of the Forensic Genealogy book.
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| Answer to Quiz #23 |
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