Sand Island Lighthouse
Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful lighthouses on Lake Superior, the structure was built from sandstone quarried right at the building site. The design of the lighthouse was influenced by the Gothic style, popular during the Victorian period. The light tower begins as a square rising from the northwest corner of the dwelling, then gracefully flows into an octagon surmounted by the lantern and walkway. Carved wood trim decorates the steeply sloped gable end of the quarters. A fourth-order Fresnel lens produced a fixed white light from the top of the 44-foot tall tower.
Sand Island lighthouse, near the western end of the Apostle Island chain, was occupied for a shorter period than any of the archipelago’s other lights. Built in 1881, it was the first of the group to be automated, in 1921.
Sand Island light had only two principal keepers: Charles Lederle, from 1881-1891, and Emmanuel Luick, from 1892-1920. In 1885, Lederle gained praise for his daring rescue of the crew from the steamer Prussia. Spotting the burning ship, he rowed a small boat several miles out on the open lake, and rescued the entire crew. Luick also witnessed a shipwreck at close hand, but could do nothing to assist the victims. During a fierce September storm in 1905, he could only watch from the tower as the freighter Sevona broke apart near shore. Seven sailors, including the ship’s captain, drowned.
The keepers at Sand Island were not as isolated from civilization as those at other Apostle Islands lights. During the years the light was staffed, Sand Island supported a small, year-round community of farmers and fishermen. The keepers and their families often walked or rowed two miles to visit neighbors and participate in social events.
In 1921, the Lighthouse Service installed an acetylene light atop the tower, designed to run without need for daily attendance. Keepers from nearby Raspberry Island kept an eye on the beacon to make sure it was operating properly, and changed the fuel tanks when they emptied.
Meanwhile, Keeper Luick moved to the lighthouse at Grand Marais, Minnesota, to finish his long career. His former home did not stay vacant long, however; for much of the 1920s and 30s, the Lighthouse Service rented the building to Gertrude Wellisch, a Minnesota schoolteacher who used it as a summer retreat. Ms Wellisch and a later tenant carried out critical maintenance and repairs, helping to preserve the historic structure.
The station’s lamp was moved twice during the years of automation. The Lighthouse Service erected a 50-foot steel tower in front of the stone building some time around 1933, and placed the acetylene apparatus atop it. The beacon stood outside the lighthouse for more than half a century, but in 1985, the Coast Guard returned the signal to its historic home and removed the metal tower. Once again, the light shines from the tower in this jewel of the Apostles.
Where it is:
The Sand Island Light is a lighthouse located on the northern tip of Sand Island, one of the Apostle Islands, in Lake Superior in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, near the city of Bayfield.
Close to the mainland, Sand Island is a popular destination for intermediate-level sea kayakers and private boaters who are prepared for the challenges of Lake Superior. There is no dock at the lighthouse, but nearby rock ledges and beaches may provide access in favorable weather conditions.
Most of the Apostle Islands light stations may be reached on the Apostle Islands Cruise Service water taxi or by private boat during the summer. During the Annual Apostle Island Lighthouse Celebration ferry tour service is available for all the lighthouses.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
GPS:
47°0’12.732″ N 90°56’18.234″ W
Cost:
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore does not charge an entrance fee, but does have expanded amenity fees. These fees apply to overnight docking, parking at Meyer’s Beach Road, lighthouse tours, and camping.
Hours:
In the summer season, National Park Service volunteers provide tours of the lighthouse, usually during the hours of 12:00 noon and 4:00 pm.
Facilities:
There are no facilities available on Sand Island
Location Contact Information:
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
415 Washington Ave
Bayfield, WI 54814
- Park Main Line: 715-779-3398
- General Information: ext 0
- Visitor and Camping information: ext 2
- Ice Line (from late-November to March): ext 3
- Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center: 715-685-9983
Fax 715-779-3049
Sand Island Lighthouse Photo Gallery
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More Photographic Destinations in Wisconsin
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Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
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