Point Betsie Lighthouse

Point Betsie Lighthouse short history: Point Betsie means Saw Beak Point. Construction of Point Betsie began in 1854 and was completed in 1858, with service beginning in the shipping season of 1859. The lighthouse was constructed at a cost of $5,000. The light was the site of one of the earliest Life-Saving Stations, built in 1875. The cost of the Life Saving Station was $3,000. Point Betsie was built with Cream City Brick and the plans called for a light 37 feet in height from the foundation to the top of the ventilator ball. Placement of the structure, on the dunes, exacted the lighthouse at a focal plane of 52 feet above lake level. Five concentric brick rings encircling the tower beneath the lantern, each successively larger in diameter than the lower ring, formed a support for the gallery on which a decagonal cast iron lantern was installed. In 1900, due to a critical need for a day marker, the Point Betsie tower and dwelling were painted white, and the roof and parapet were painted red. Point Betsie was the last lighthouse on Lake Michigan to be completely automated; a white, Vega VRB-25 was installed in 1983. Before automation, the lantern room was fitted with a Fourth Order Fresnel Lens. The "wickies" operated this light for 106 years.

Printed on canvas, stretched and brush textured with a transparent gel. Finished size of 24" x 16", and signed. It is also available as a 18" x 12" printed on heavy watercolor paper or as an A2 size (4.25" x 5.5") notecard.