1910-1935

Location & historical notes: Michigan, on the eastern side of Lake Michigan, south of North Manitou Island.  The station was replaced by the North Manitou Shoal Lighthouse.

Lightships assigned:

1910-1926: LV-56

YEAR BUILT: 1891

BUILT AT: Toledo (OH)

BUILDER: Blythe Craig Shipbuilding Co

APPROPRIATION: $60,000
(Approp. for 3 ships-Simmons Reef, White Shoal, & Grays Reef)

CONTRACT PRICE: $14,225 ($42,675 for 3 ships)

SISTER VESSELS: LV 55,57

DESIGN: Wood framed and planked; white oak fastened with 5/8" square iron spikes 2 masts, daymark on foremast; spencer mast aft of main for riding sail; stack on deckhouse amidships

LENGTH: 102'8" (loa); BEAM: 20'; DRAFT: 89"; TONNAGE: 130 gross

PROPULSION: Steam screw-one single cylinder non-condensing engine; 14" bore x 16" stroke, 100 IEP, fire-tube boiler 5' dia x 9'lg; max speed 8 knots

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Cluster of 3 oil burning lens lanterns hoisted to each mast head

FOG SIGNAL: 6" steam whistle, hand operated bell

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 56

-One of 3 vessels designed for use only during the navigation season on the Great Lakes, as an experiment to avoid the high initial and recurring costs for a permanent lighthouse. Maintenance and operating cost for each lightship was estimated at $4,000 per year. Each had enough power for getting to and from station. Mooring, consisting of a 5 ton sinker and 15 fathoms of 2 inch chain was prepositioned permanently eliminating the need (and cost) for the lightship to carry mushrooms and chain - First US lightships with propelling engine
-Upon delivery, many construction defects were found during sea trials, and many interior modifications had to be made for comfort of the crew
-1891: Masts found unnecessarily long; shortened during winter layup
-1893: Fog bell added
-1910: Equipped with submarine bell signal
-1913: After spencer mast removed 1913/1914; hull lettering shortened to MANITOU

STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 56

1891-1909: White Shoal (MI)
1910-1926: North Manitou Shoal (MI)
1927-1928: Grays Reef (MI)

(White Shoal station discontinued 1909)

HISTORICAL NOTES; LV 56
-1891: Sep 14/15, turned over to Lighthouse Establishment at Detroit (MI)
-1891: Oct 2,5,6, sea trials conducted; many defects noted; fitted out
-1891: Oct 19, departed Detroit, reaching Port Huron in evening
-1891: Oct 20, LV 55,56 & 57 using their own power to assist were taken in tow
by tender DAHLIA, making 9 knots; laid over at Sand Beach Harbor of Refuge
due to bad weather
-1891: Oct 24, placed on White Shoal (MI), northerly end of Lake Michigan
-1891: Nov 17-20, left station without orders and put into Cheboygan; crew
discharged for dereliction of duty; replaced with others "more trustworthy";
vessel replaced on station by tender DAHLIA Nov 22, remaining until close of
navigation at which time put into Cheboygan winter quarters. Many deficiencies
due to missing, incomplete or faulty equipment were corrected during winter and
masts were shortened
-1892: Apr 14, resumed station until Dec 7; wintered at Cheboygan (MI)
-1892-1907: maintained station Apr/May to Dec, wintering at Cheboygan (Sturgeon
Bay WI in 1906). Needed repairs carried out each year in winter quarters
-1896: Fog signal in operation 371 hours consuming 17 tons coal & 2 1/2 cords
wood

More notes: LV 56
-1897: Smokestack replaced; deck houses enlarged and improved
-1898: Extensive interior modifications; boiler repairs
-1900: Due to rot, substantial amount of hull and deck planking replaced
-1902: Extensive hull repairs; stateroom built for Master
-1906: Extensive repairs to hull and machinery
-1909: Dec, withdrawn, White Shoal station discontinued
-1910: Placed on North Manitou Shoal (MI); remaining assigned through 1926
-1927: Placed on Grays Reef remaining through the 1928 season

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1928; AGE: 37

SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Sold Dec 20, 1928

COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 56

1892-1893: Samuel Dodd, Keeper
1893-?: Samuel Dodd, Master

?-1915: Charles B Corlett, Master
1915-1916: Richard D Baxter, Mate
1916-1917: Ervin Hartung, Mate
1917-1918: Hubert R Benson, Mate
1918-1921: Charles Cretean, Mate
1915-1918: Robert Bruce, Master
1918-1919: Albert F Pitman, Master
1920-1927: Edward A Hansen, Master
1921: John 0 Neil Jr, Mate
1922: Sigurd Frey, Mate
1922-1927: William J Stewart, Mate
1927-1928: William J Stewart, Master
1928: Louis A Anderson, Mate

1927-1935: LV-89

YEAR BUILT: 1908

BUILT AT: Muskegon (MI)

BUILDER: Racine-Truscott-Shell Lake Boat Co

APPROPRIATION: ?

CONTRACT PRICE: $37,500

SISTER VESSELS: None

DESIGN: Steam screw; steel hull with whaleback forecastle deck; single lantern mast forward, jigger mast aft for riding sail; large wood deckhouse; smokestack amidships

LENGTH: 88'3" (loa); BEAM: 21'0"; DRAFT: 7'0"; TONNAGE: 205 displ, fresh water

PROPULSION: Steam - one single cylinder reciprocating engine, 14" bore x 16" stroke, 90 IEP; one boiler 5' dia x 9'3" long, 120 psi

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Cluster of 3 oil lens lanterns raised to 35' above water

FOG SIGNAL: 6" steam whistle; hand operated bell

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 89-
1915: Submarine belt signal installed; discontinued 1927-
1930: Illuminating apparatus converted to acetylene-
1933: Illuminating apparatus converted to electric-
1935: Fog whistle discontinued; changed to bell

STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 89
1909-1927: Martin Reef (MI)
1927-1933: North Manitou Shoal (MI)
1934: Relief (10th District)
1935: Relief (11th District)

(1927: Martin Reef station discontinued -replaced by lighthouse)

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1936? AGE: 28

SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: (Nothing found)

COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 89
1909-1913: George T Gunderson, Mate
1913-1914: Charles I Cayford, Mate
1914: John S Martino, Mate
1914-?: G J Navarre, Master
1914-1919: Martin Tellefson, Mate
1919-1926: George R McRae, Mate
1926-?: Harry McRae, Mate

1934-1935: LV-103 / WAL-526

YEAR BUILT: 1920

BUILT AT: Morris Heights (NY)

APPROPRIATION: ?

BUILDER: Consolidated Shipbuilding Co

CONTRACT PRICE: $161,074

SISTER VESSELS: None

DESIGN: Steam screw; steel hull; tubular lantern mast forward, small jigger mast aft; steel pilothouse at foot of lantern mast; smokestack amidships

LENGTH: 96'5" (loa); BEAM: 24'0"; DRAFT: 9'6"; TONNAGE: 310 displ (fresh water)

PROPULSION: Steam - one compound reciprocating engine, 175 IHP; 2 coal fired Scotch boilers

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: One acetylene lens lantern, 300mm

FOG SIGNAL: 10" steam whistle; hand operated bell

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 103-
1920: Dec 3/4, sea trials and conditional acceptance-
1921: Jun 9, delivered to 12th District Hq, Milwaukee-
1924: Submarine bell signal installed; discontinued 1931-
1927: Illuminant changed from acetylene to electricity-
1933: Fog signal changed to steam diaphragm horn (17" Leslie typhon)-
1934: Radiobeacon installed-
1934: Illuminating apparatus changed back to acetylene operation-
1935: Radiobeacon synchronized with fog signal for distance finding-
193?: Illuminating apparatus converted to duplex electric 375mm lens lantern,
15, 000cp-
1948: Repowered with twin inãline GM 671 diesels 34011?, max speed 9 knots-
1962: USCG lists F2T air diaphone, CR103 radar, other characteristics as above- 
Radio and visual call sign NMGS (1940-1970)

STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 103/WAL 526

1921-1923: Relief
1924-1926: Grays Reef (MI)
1927-1928: Relief (12th District)
1929: Grays Reef (MI)
1929-1933: Relief (12th District)
1934-1935: North Manitou Shoal (MI)
1935: Relief (11th District)
1936-1970: Lake Huron (MI)

(Hull color changed from red to black - 1936)
(1942-1945: During WWII remained assigned to Lake Huron station)

HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 103 / WAL 526-
1920: Dec 3/4 sea trials completed in New York, conditionally accepted-
1921: steamed to Maine, picked up by HIBISCUS May 18 and towed (with LV 99) to St Lawrence River entrance; both lightships then steamed to Ogdensburg NY, met by CROCUS and escorted to Detroit, LV 103 then steamed to Milwaukee arriving Jun 9 and assigned Relief duty-
1936: Hull color changed from red to black when placed on Huron station.- 
From 1945 onward, this was the only black lightship in service.

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1970; AGE: 50

SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned Aug 25, 1970; donated to the town of Port Huron (MI), Port Huron Marine Museum; marked HURON; dry berthed and on display in a park.

COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 103 / WAL 526
1920-?: Hiram S Hill, Master

1957-1958: BMC Milo V. Collins, OIC*
1958-1959: BMC McDonald, OIC (Former Lighthouse Service employee)*
1959-?: BMC William Buxton, OIC*
1962: BMC Leon DeRosia, OIC

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