Lights for Sale: Two more Lake Superior lighthouses have been put up for public sale after no governmental or nonprofit entity took them over. The lighthouse at Superior, Wisconsin, and the Ontonagon, Michigan, breakwater lighthouse are being auctioned off by the General Services Administration (GSA). “The Ontonagon and Superior Entry Lights are on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers breakwater. A lease from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is required prior to conveyance of these lighthouses,” the GSA says on its website. The lighthouses also will continue to host aid-to-navigation beacons maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. The auction on the Ontonagon light began in June and on the Superior lighthouse (with red roof) July 10; no end date has been posted. There are no bids yet on the Ontonagon light and four on the Superior lighthouse. The GSA has been selling old lighthouse buildings since 2000 and, as of December 2018, has sold or transferred 139 lighthouses out of federal ownership, including 60 sold by auction, generating more than $7.5 million in proceeds. That money goes toward the Coast Guard’s Aids to Navigation fund to pay for the equipment, maintenance and resources to continue preservation and maintenance of lighthouses that are still active. Those interested in bidding on either lighthouse need to fill out online forms and submit a bid deposit. Registered bidders on the Superior lighthouse will be able to tour it on Aug. 6. The late Terry Pepper’s amazing website on lighthouses of the western Great Lakes lists details about both lighthouses. The white wooden square Ontonagon pierhead light, as he described it, currently for sale was built in 1900 after the original hexagonal light was washed away in an 1899 storm. The original had been built on an extended breakwater in 1875 and housed a sixth-order Fresnel lens, the smallest of those lenses. That tower was moved thrice – in 1879, 1884 and 1893 – after additional pier extensions before being washed off in 1899. The red-topped Wisconsin Point lighthouse in Superior was not the first light at the point. An original square wooden light, similar to the Ontonagon light for sale, was erected in 1879. That structure was damaged in the 1905 Mataafa storm. In 1911, the 11.5-foot-high concrete base of the current lighthouse was completed and the two-story oblong structure finished in 1912 and a fourth-order Fresnel lens installed. The lighthouse/fog signal building on the south pier of the Duluth Ship Canal is also being removed from government ownership by GSA. The Lake Superior Marine Museum Association is working to see if it might become keeper of that light, but if it does not, the south pier light also likely will be up for public auction.
Loon Threat: West Nile Virus has been identified as the cause of two loon deaths in northern Minnesota, reports Rhonda Silence of WTIP radio. “Minnesotans love our loons, and it’s concerning for people to find them dead," Minnesota DNR nongame wildlife specialist Gaea Crozier tells Rhonda. "When we start seeing multiple birds dying on a single lake, we want to know about it so we can start tracking the information and determine when further testing is warranted. While there isn’t a way to treat the West Nile virus infection, knowing the cause can help us rule out other, preventable causes of mortality." The public is asked to report if they find multiple dead loons on a single lake. The virus was first confirmed as the cause of death for loons in 2005, but "wildlife staff are receiving a small but noticeable increase in calls from people finding dead loons in northeastern Minnesota this summer," the DNR notes in a press release that includes contact information.
Au Sable Point Pop: Au Sable Point Lighthouse is the latest of Michigan’s Lake Superior lights to be featured on cans of Vernors ginger soda, Pure Michigan announced this week. Vernors is the oldest ginger soda still sold in the United States and was created in 1866 by a Detroit pharmacist, James Vernor. As explained on the Vernors’ website, “Without the Civil War, there would be no Vernors. Before the conflict began, James Vernor, a Detroit pharmacist, had concocted a new drink. When Vernor was called off to war in 1862, he stored the secret mixture in an oak cask in his pharmacy. After returning from battle four years later, he opened his secret keg and found the drink inside had been transformed.” “Vernors is a Michigan original with a proud 153-year heritage and a devoted following in the state unlike any other soft drink, and we want to celebrate what makes this state such a special place to both live and visit,” Beth Hensen, market development manager for Keurig Dr Pepper, which owns and licenses the Vernors brand, says in a Pure Michigan press release. “Through this promotion, we hope our fans will enjoy these keepsakes and be inspired to visit and take pride in these one-of-a-kind coastal treasures.” This is the third year for the lighthouse collectible cans. Previously featured Lake Superior lights include Crisp Point, Eagle Harbor and Point Iroquois plus nearby St. Joseph Island. The current round of lighthouse cans (eight lighthouse are featured this year) will be available until September in special 12 packs.
Smokin': Brian Cabell in his Word on the Street news from Marquette notes a new barbecue joint will be opening before fall, if all goes well, in Harvey, Michigan. Owner Scott Arbour, who is opening Lake Superior Smokehouse Brewpub in the former Bayou restaurant building, promises smoked everything from traditional meats to vegetarian fare to a tomato mac and cheese. Plans for the family-friendly restaurant including patio dining and a brewery with 12 craft offerings. “We’re filling a niche,” Scott told Brian. “And for me, it’s about the community, giving them what they want. Great barbecue, quality meat, great service, craft beer. This is a passion of mine.”
The Party Goes On: Last night someone stole the festive banner last night up in Washburn to celebrate its Brownstone Block Party this weekend, but by this morning a person walking their dog found the banner tossed in the woods. With or without the banner, the party would still go on, celebrating both the Wisconsin lakeshore town and its amazing brownstone buildings from locally quarried materials. The party runs today through Sunday with music, a community picnic, a paddleboard race, fireworks, tours of historic buildings and the usual great community celebration activities. Locally quarried brownstone created many beautiful Big Lake neighborhood buildings, as Sonny Longtine explains in a Lake Superior Magazine story "History in Stone." We also have a lovely 2010 story "Meet Washburn" by Bob Berg to give you just a sample of what you can enjoy should you choose to join in the Brownstone Block Party. "Brownstone and water laid the foundations for Washburn, established in 1883. Its waterfront location provided the railroad with a port and the area provided lots of native brownstone for buildings," Bob notes in his story, which includes an interview with the late Tony Woiak, president of the Washburn Area Historical Society. Tony was the man who helped to bring back the memory of Tom Blake, a Washburn native who spurred the popularity of surfing, made innovations on the original boards and was a world-class swimmer. A tribute to Tom in the form of the free Tom Blake Memorial Paddle takes place at 5 p.m. today.
High Flyers: The Duluth International Airport reports a 5 percent increase in passenger numbers for its first quarter, according to a release posted by BusinessNorth. Some 52,160 people flew through Duluth between January and March of this year, up from 49,520 during the same period in 2018. “With the arrival of American Airlines in May of this year, there is increased competition among the carriers and increased options for travelers,” Tom Werner, executive director for the Duluth International Airport, said in a Tuesday announcement. "With the country’s three largest carriers now among our offerings, we’re predicting a strong year for the airport and a great year for travelers who fly DLH. The first quarter of 2019 is proof of that.” The Lake Superior region has a long history with aviation heritage, as recorded in our special 2017 State of the Lake report "Flying High, Our Aviation Industry Takes Off."
Photo & graphic credits: General Services Administration; Minnesota DNR; Pure Michigan; Bob Berg; Washburn Chamber of Commerce; Duluth International Airport