Lighthouse chicago harbor

Interior finish work at the lighthouse continued through November The steam fog signal was changed to an air diaphone in , greatly increasing its range. That same year, the light was electrified.

A radiobeacon was established at the breakwater lighthouse in to further aid mariners in finding the entrance to the harbor. Three main lighthouses have stood watch over Chicago Harbor as the city has grown from a small military outpost to the third-largest city in the United States. In , Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, deemed excess by the Coast Guard, was offered at no cost to eligible entities, including federal, state, and local agencies, non-profit corporations, and educational organizations under the provisions of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of Though it took a few years, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar initiated the transfer of the lighthouse to the City of Chicago on February 24, The city had designated the lighthouse a Chicago Landmark in After the city failed to do anything with the lighthouse after more than a decade of ownership, the General Services Administration asked in that the lighthouse be returned to the federal government.

Keepers: Head: Samuel C. Nelson , Ole Hansen , Simon P. Eagen , Harrison S. Haas , James E. Nelson , Edward M. Matson , Hans E. Moore , Henry Rocheleau , Robert A. McKillop at least , Clarence J. Leslie , Ardell E. Zerbel at least , Louis S. Bauchan at least , John J. Johnson , Thomas W. The first lighthouse at Chicago Harbor commenced operation near the mouth of the Chicago River in After piers were constructed at the entrance to the river, a new skeletal iron lighthouse was activated at the extremity of the North Pier on July 9, During the next decade, the North Pier was extended lakeward at different times until its end was 1, feet from the lighthouse.

Bailey , William J. Riggs , Freetjoff C. Bailey , W. Hanson , Oscar A. Anderson , S. Kimble , David E. Greenwood , Edwin F. Latitude: Visitor Information. There is parking on Navy Pier and fairly good views of the Chicago Harbor Southeast Guidewall Lighthouse can be had from the south side of the pier. Shoreline Sightseeing offers harbor and skyline tours that depart from Navy Pier, affording good views of the light.

The lighthouse is owned by the Coast Guard. Tower closed. Coast Guard. The residents of the Lake Shore drive were at the head of the movement, and received the cooperation of the greater portion of those residing south of Lincoln Park and east of La Salle avenue. Several delegations were sent to Washington, and at a time when it was thought that the question was safely shelved for an indefinite number of years the department officials advertised for bids and commenced the work, much to the disappoint- ment of the before mentioned Chicagoans.

Immense Big Whistles. The fog horns have been constructed especially for this harbor on an entirely new plan and will be a novelty in their operation. The old style consisted of large oval shaped horns, but these it has been ascertained could only be heard at long distances in the direct wake of the sound, end during a dense fog the mariner was often deceived as to distances, and even at times, according to location, was absolutely unable to hear the warning signal at short distances.

The horns to be located here are more in the nature of immense whistles, and may be heard with equal distinct all sides. It ia to be a duplicate plant with separate towers which are located on either side of the main tower.

Each will have an engine and boiler of 25 horse-power. These are fitted with automatic whistle gear operating ten-inch steam whistles, prod a characteristic series of five seconds each with twenty-five seconds silent intervals.

These fog. The peculiar mechanism of these signals renders them such that can readily distinguish them from steamboat, railroad, or factory whistles. In tone they have a low, sonorous sound, not at all offensive, and do not possess such sharp, squeaky, ead irritating tones as many North Chicago people imagine. The superintendent in charge says the people will soon get used to the whistles. The sound is produced on a different principle from that of the ordinary whistle, which relieves the sound of any shrillness, and although a person may be close by it does not have a stunning effect on the head or a grating upon the nerves, as would be supposed.

The persons in charge of the tower, it is said, may be about the whistles for days at a time without having their hearing impaired or receiving any ill effect of any kind. Another remarkable feature is that the whistles do not sound any louder in the im- mediate vicinity than they do at a mile distant.

It is said that this distance is required for the whistles to develop their full effect, and for the vibrations to operate upon the atmosphere at their maximum capacity. One of the chief merits of the rotary is the ease with which it is located by the mariner.

Although the fog may be very heavy he has no difficulty in ascertaining the exact direction from which the sound is coming. This is a very important item, as it enables the captain to clear the shore in case of a storm. Many shipwrecks have occurred from the failure to locate sounds, but with whistles of this kind all such fears may be laid aside. The preparatory work In the tower was commenced in the fall of This crib stands about feet from the southerly end of the outer breakwater, and is separated from it by an interval of about 80 feet.

Upon this crib a solid concrete superstructure with stone faces was built to about eight feet above the lake level. Above the substructure a steel casing four feet wide is boarded to the top of the wooden substructure and filled with Portland cement concrete. On this is set a pier of stone masonry built of Bedford stone of the same dimensions as the substructure and eight feet high, containing two fresh water cisterns.

A part is given up to a basement and to coal cellars, where the fuel supply for the engines of the fog signals is to be kept. The interior of the stone work of the pier is also backed with Portland cement concrete. The pier is surrounded by a post and chain railing and provided with snubbing posts, chocks, and a crane, with ladders for the landing of lighthouse tenders and small boats. One ladder will be on the northwest end and the others distributed about the pier where they seem to be moat needed.

The tower will be seventy-three feet above the pier and the focal plane of the lighthouse lantern will be sixty-eight feet above the level of the lake. The lantern or illuminating apparatus will be a third-order flash light. The machinery of the lantern is so that it will work very rapidly, showing a red and white flash at intervals of only five seconds. The mechanism of the machinery is very intricate and the -lantern when in running order will show more flashes per minute than any lighthouse on the entire chain of lakes.

Close by the light does not appear powerful and is discernible. It will leave the pier in comparative darkness, and persons on the breakwater and near by in boats would hard- ly observe any light whatever. With the light, however, distance lends enchantment, for its power increases as you leave it.

Its maximum is attained at a distance of about two miles which is retained to its extreme point of visibility. This on a clear night will be about sixteen miles, but with a heavier atmosphere the distance is proportionately reduced. The light itself is of about 2, candle-power and this is multiplied a hundred-fold by the powerful lenses which are brought into service.

Flashes may be seen from shore, and in fact from all sides. It will be a big improvement to the one now in use on the north pier, as the latter has only a fixed white light. The advantage and value of the new light are its peculiar characteristic, which makes it prominent sand discernible among a thousand other lights.