Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor
About this property
The Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor are a series of breakwaters located in Lake Huron, on North Lakeshore Drive in Harbor Beach, Michigan. They were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. In the mid-1800s, sailing across Saginaw Bay could be risky, and the nearest refuge from oncoming storm was the mouth of the St. Clair River, 80 miles away. Laker captains requested the construction of a more accessible harbor, and in 1872 this location was chosen. Construction began in 1873. In 1875, a skeletal light tower was put in place to mark the location of the entrance to the partially completed harbor. The current Harbor Beach Light was constructed in 1885. That same year marked the end of breakwater construction; the entire project was completed at a cost of $975,000. In 1903, the wooden breakwaters were found to be deteriorating, and the next year the Army Corps of Engineers began replacing the timber structures above the waterline with a concrete superstructure. The main breakwater was completed by 1909, with the north and south sections following in 1911/12 and 1916/17. Major rehabilitation was performed in the late 1960s / early 1970s, and again in the 1980s. The navigation structures include nearly 7,900 feet of breakwater surrounding the Harbor Beach harbor. The breakwater is constructed of stone-filled cribwork, and is laid in three pieces; with the first running approximately 1500 feet eastward, beginning three-quarters of a mile north of the dock. There is a gap of about 300 feet to the next section of breakwater, which runs approximately 300 feet eastward, 3960 feet southeast, and another 300 feet east. There is a gap of 600 feet for the entrance, followed by the final section of breakwater which runs 1900 feet southward. The inner basin is dredged to a depth of 23 feet. The Harbor Beach Light is located on the breakwater at the mouth of the harbor. The breakwater is capped with concrete.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor listed on the National Register?
Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 10, 1997.
What type of historic resource is Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor?
Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor?
The period of significance for Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Navigation Structures at Harbor Beach Harbor will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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