History, cont.

c.1910, showcasing the brick oil storage building erected in 1896

Fog signal building built Dec 20, 1899
With the establishment of the fog signal, it was determined that the workload at Grand Traverse would be more than a single keeper could handle, and the decision was made to add a First Assistant Keeper at the station. However, with the main lighthouse building being designed for a single family, additional accommodations were needed. Thus, in 1901 the dwelling was significantly enlarged and remodeled to convert the dwelling into a duplex with accommodations for two families.
1904 was likely a memorable years for the Grand Traverse keepers, as they split and loaded 49 cords of wood into the boilers in order to keep the ten-inch whistle screaming for a station record 318 hours.

Steel tower beacon which replaced the light in 1972
The boilers and whistle in the fog signal were removed in 1933, and replaced by a Type “F” diaphone fog signal, its air compressor powered by diesel engines. The diesel engines were in turn replaced by a 440-volt Worthington air compressor in 1953. Coast Guard crews continued to maintain the station until 1972, when the tower light was replaced by an automated beacon mounted on a steel skeletal tower.
The Lighthouse and Fog Signal Building stood vacant after closing, until 1985 when a local group organized the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Foundation (that’s us!) with a goal of preserving the historic buildings and creating an interesting and educational “living lighthouse” for the public to enjoy. After two years of renovation, the Lighthouse Foundation reopened the station as a museum on Memorial Day in 1987.
Excerpt taken from the lighthouse website of Terry Pepper. Visit his amazing website here.