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29-538: The lighthouse is on the south side of the channel. There are two modern lights marking the ends of the breakwaters that extend out into the Lake Michigan beyond the lighthouse. After decades of local requests that went unanswered, in 1870 the United States Lighthouse Board finally recommended construction of the first light at Holland Harbor. It was thereupon approved by the U.S. Congress . Text of

58-611: A week after Shubrick's arrival, and assumed command. In April, Shubrick sailed for the coast of Mexico to head the blockade of Guaymas and Mazatlán . Early in June, Shubrick was recalled to California where Biddle restored him to overall command on 19 July and sailed for the East Coast. Under Shubrick, the Navy successfully conducted the closing operations of the war on the Pacific coast. Highlights were

87-574: Is authorized and required to cause a board to be convened at as early a day as may be practical after the passage of that act to be comprised of two officers of the Navy of high rank, two officers of Engineers of the Army, and such civil officers of scientific attainments as may be under the orders or at the disposition of the Treasury Department, and a junior officer of the Navy to act as Secretary to said board, whose duty it shall be under instructions from

116-595: The Corps of Engineers . When it became clear that this would not alleviate the underlying problems in the Lighthouse Establishment, Congress then felt compelled to deal the final blow to Pleasonton's administration. The ensuing congressional investigation took more than four years to effect a change in the administration of navigation aids along the American coasts. During that time, congressional appointee, Lt. Jenkins of

145-506: The United States , between 1852 and 1910. The new agency was created following complaints of the shipping industry of the previous administration of lighthouses under the Treasury's Lighthouse Establishment , which had had jurisdiction since 1791, and since 1820, been under the control of Stephen Pleasonton . The quasi-military board first met on April 28, 1851, and with its establishment,

174-539: The United States Coast Survey conducted interviews with pilots and mariners, engaged in domestic and foreign research, and was involved in a number of hearings into existing navigational aids administration. On March 3, 1851, the United States Congress passed "An Act Making Appropriations for Light House, Light Boats, Buoys, &c." Section 8 of the act stated: The Secretary of the Treasury

203-499: The United States Congress became serious about reforming the Lighthouse Establishment which had been in existence since 1791 and in response to a number of complaints, the U.S. Congress removed the responsibility for the construction of six new light stations from the U.S. Treasury Department's Fifth Auditor ( Stephen Pleasonton ), and transferred it to the supervision of the United States Army 's, long-time construction agency,

232-843: The capture of Guaymas in October and occupation of Mazatlán in November. San Blas fell in January 1848. The following spring, Shubrick headed home and took command of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1849. Beginning in 1853, he headed the Bureau of Construction and Repair , and between 1854 and 1858, he chaired the Lighthouse Board . In October 1858, Shubrick sailed in command of the fleet sent to South American waters to support diplomatic efforts to resolve differences with Paraguay resulting from

261-790: The Michigan Historic Site marker: Except for its color, it is a virtual twin of the Kewaunee Pierhead Light on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan . In 2007, the United States Department of the Interior announced that the Holland Harbor Light would be protected, making it the 12th Michigan lighthouse to have such status. Public access to Big Red is restricted due to the fact one must cross private property to see

290-600: The Treasury Department to inquire into the condition of the Lighthouse Establishment of the United States, and make a general detailed report and programme to guide legislation in extending and improving our present system of construction, illumination, inspection, and superintendence. The Lighthouse Board resulted from this mandate, and its original members consisted of William B. Shubrick , and Samuel F. Du Pont , U.S. Navy; James Kearney, U.S. Topographical Engineers; civilian academics Alexander Dallas Bache , Superintendent of

319-526: The U.S. Coast Survey, and Joseph Henry , Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution ; and Lt. Thornton Jenkins, U.S. Navy, who acted as secretary. These men attracted others of similar quality to lighthouse duty, both on the board and in district offices. The country was organized into 12 lighthouse districts, each having an inspector (a naval officer) who was charged with building the lighthouses and seeing that they remained in good condition and that

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348-679: The United States. Shubrick was promoted to lieutenant on January 5, 1812, on the eve of the War of 1812 . After duty in Hornet , he was assigned to Constellation . While that frigate was at Norfolk, Virginia , on June 22, 1813 he led a party of bluejackets in beating off a British attack against Craney Island . He subsequently was awarded the Congressional medal for service in Constitution during her capture of HMS Cyane and Levant . During

377-646: The administration of lighthouses and other aids to navigation would take their largest leap toward modernization since the inception of federal government control. In 1910, the Lighthouse Board was disestablished in favor of a more civilian Lighthouse Service , under the Department of Commerce and Labor ; later the Lighthouse Service was merged into the United States Coast Guard in 1939. By 1847,

406-728: The age of sixteen joining his older brother, John Templer Shubrick. He started his active service on the Mediterranean Squadron in USS Wasp in May 1807. It was aboard this ship where he met his lifelong friend James Fenimore Cooper , who was assigned to the Wasp in November 1809. At the end of 1809, Shubrick transferred to the Atlantic Squadron to Argus and sailed along the Atlantic coast of

435-656: The construction of the first lighthouses on the west coast. By the time of the Civil War, all lighthouses had Fresnel lenses. Previously, under the Establishment, the local collectors of customs were in charge of the lighthouses and other aids to navigation. In time, all duties regarding aids to navigation were taken from them. The Board demanded that only those who could read were to be appointed as keepers in order that they be able to read their written instructions. These instructions were detailed and covered everything possible about

464-496: The firing upon USS Water Witch . When the Civil War struck, Shubrick was the navy's most senior active service officer hailing from the South. He remained loyal to the Union. In December 1861, a law was passed by Congress according to which all navy officers were to retire after reaching sixty-two years or accumulating forty five years of service; Shubrick was placed on the retired list. He

493-406: The lens was in operation. After a few years the inspectors became overloaded with work and an engineer (an army officer) was appointed to each district to tend to the construction and maintenance of lighthouses. The Lighthouse Board moved quickly in applying new technology, particularly in purchasing and installing new Fresnel lenses and constructing screw-pile lighthouses . The Board also oversaw

522-412: The lighthouse up close. The best vantage points that are accessible to the general public are from across the channel at Holland State Park . United States Lighthouse Board The United States Lighthouse Board was the second agency of the U.S. federal government , under the Department of Treasury , responsible for the construction and maintenance of all lighthouses and navigation aids in

551-467: The nation's waterways. Iron buoys were introduced to replace the more expensive copper-clad wooden buoys. The Lighthouse Board also began printing changes made in aids to navigation as a Notice to Mariners . Several advances in the technology of fog signals were made during the 1850s. In 1851, an experimental air fog whistle and reed horn was installed at Beavertail Lighthouse at the entrance to Narragansett Bay , Rhode Island . At first this sound signal

580-515: The next five decades several advances in lighthouse construction technology took place including the development of the exposed screwpile lighthouses, exoskeleton lighthouses, waveswept interlocking stone lighthouses, iron caisson lighthouses, and breakwater lighthouses. In the 1850s the Board prescribed color schemes for the buoys, as well as range lights and day markers; and the buoy system was standardized. Classification systems were also developed to mark

609-574: The operation of lighthouses, leaving little discretion to the keeper. The Board struggled to eliminate politics from its activities, and slowly the organization became a professional career agency, helped greatly by the Civil Service Reform Acts of 1871 and 1883. Keepers became civil service employees in 1896. Most important, the Board was constantly mindful of advancing technology and took advantage of new types of lighthouses, buoys, or fog signals, as well as improvement in lighthouse optics. Over

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638-571: The statue, under the Lighthouse Board's care from 1886 to 1902, marks the beginning of the "modern age" in lighthouse illumination. In 1900, the Lighthouse Board began converting lighthouses to electric service; however, because of the lack of direct access to power lines, the conversion came about slowly. This article contains information created by the US Federal Government and is in the public domain . William B. Shubrick William Branford Shubrick (October 31, 1790 – May 27, 1874)

667-814: The subsequent decades before the Mexican–American War , Shubrick commanded, in turn, Lexington and Natchez ; directed operation of the West Indies Squadron from 1838 to 1840; and headed the Bureau of Provisions and Clothing from 1845 to 1846. At the outbreak of the war with Mexico , Shubrick requested sea duty and, in Independence , sailed for the California coast to relieve Commodore John D. Sloat in command of American Naval forces there. However, Commodore James Biddle brought his East India Squadron to Monterey, California , on 2 January 1847 only

696-684: Was an officer in the United States Navy . His active-duty career extended from 1806 to 1861, including service in the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War ; he was placed on the retired list in the early months of the Civil War . William Branford Shubrick was born on October 31, 1790, at "Belvedere Plantation," Bull's Island, South Carolina (now an undeveloped barrier island within the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge ), to Mary Branford and Colonel Thomas Shubrick, William

725-488: Was an ordinary locomotive whistle, enlarged and modified and blown by steam from a high-pressure tubular boiler. The second was a reed-trumpet, and in 1866 the third variation, a siren-trumpet. Although the fog bell signal was still used for warning vessels over short distances, other fog signals started to supersede the smaller bell signal. Bells were also used on buoys; later whistling buoys were invented by J. M. Courtenay and were first in use in 1876. The first gas-lighted buoy

754-454: Was installed in 1882. The gong buoy was invented in 1923. In 1876, under the management of Chief Clerk Arnold B. Johnson , the Lighthouse Board began to circulate and maintain traveling lighthouse libraries . These libraries would continue to be in service until the 1930s. In 1886, a new technology was tested in the illumination of the Statue of Liberty —electricity. The electrical lighting of

783-458: Was powered by a horse-operated treadmill and later by an internal combustion steam engine. Around 1851, mechanically rung fog bells were introduced. The striking mechanism was governed by a weight attached to a flywheel, and later internally run by clockworks. The strokes of the fog signals were timed deliberately to afford each signal a unique sound characteristic. The bell signal was gradually replaced by three variations of that instrument. The first

812-517: Was promoted to rear admiral on the retired list on 16 July 1862 and for ten years served as chairman of the United States Lighthouse Board where he was a member since 1852. He died in Washington, D.C. , on May 27, 1874. He was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C. In September, 1815, Shubrick married Harriet Cordelia Wethered; they had one child. Three of his brothers were also officers in

841-576: Was the sixth son and ninth child of the family of sixteen. His father served in the Continental Army under Generals Nathanael Greene and Benjamin Lincoln during the American Revolutionary War . Two of his sons joined the army and four sons including William chose naval career. He briefly studied at Harvard College in 1805-1806 before being commissioned a midshipman on June 20, 1806 at

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