St. Clair Flats South Channel Range Lights
About this property
St. Clair Flats Front and Rear Range Light are two lighthouse structures situated off the southeastern tip of Harsens Island at Lake St. Clair. By the late 1830s, it was recognized that constructing a shipping channel through the delta at the base of the Saint Clair River would be an aid in shipping. An 1842 survey by the Corps of Topographical Engineers recommended dredging the channel, but due in part to opposition by President James K. Polk, no federal funds were appropriated for a decade. In 1852, $20,000 was appropriated for improvements, but the money was quickly spent with little result. Meanwhile, the opening of the St. Mary's Falls Ship Canal in Sault Ste. Marie increased shipping through the Great Lakes and left the Saint Clair delta as the major bottleneck to commerce through the lakes. In the early 1850s, numerous ship ran aground in the area, often blocking the entire canal and preventing access by other ships. Congress voted to appropriate further funds for improvements in 1854, but President Franklin Pierce vetoed the bills, as he did again in 1855 and 1856. By this time, the problem was severe, and in 1856, Congress overrode the presidential veto, and $45,000 was appropriated. From this funding, the canal dredging was completed, and two lighthouses and a nearby beacon constructed at the mouth of the channel. The two lighthouses were completed by 1859. In 1866, a further $60,000 was appropriated for improvements. However, the United States Army Corps of Engineers recommended abandoning the current channel (known as the "south channel") and opening up a new Saint Clair Flats channel. This new channel was opened in 1870, after which the older channel became less important, but still used. In 1875, the front light began to lean. It was dismantled and rebuilt using the original stone and timber crib. By the early 20th century, the lights had become less useful, and in 1907 their use was discontinued. However, in 1915, the lights were re-established, and continued in use until 1934, when they were again discontinued. Despite the 1875 reconstruction, the front light began to lean further due to erosion near the base of the light. In 1990, the base was reinforced by constructing a steel cell and filling it with limestone for temporary support. In the fall of 1996, a permanent seawall was completed around the front light island. The rear light was constructed with a large keeper's house on the island surrounding the light. The house was demolished in the early 1930s. However, later vandalism has played a part in the overall deterioration of the rear light, which is also in need of major foundation work. Current restoration has been taking place on the rear light.
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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 St. Clair Flats South Channel Range Lights listed on the National Register?
St. Clair Flats South Channel Range Lights was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 23, 1990.
What type of historic resource is St. Clair Flats South Channel Range Lights?
St. Clair Flats South Channel Range Lights is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for St. Clair Flats South Channel Range Lights?
The period of significance for St. Clair Flats South Channel Range Lights is recorded as the industrial era.
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