October 19, 1875
In the northern part of Michigan, a lighthouse built on Menagerie Island within the northwest corner of Lake Superior was first lit. Menagerie Island is a small island off the southern coast of Isle Royale, which is the largest natural island in Lake Superior, the second largest island in all of the Great Lakes, and the fifth largest lake island in the world.
Construction on the Isle Royale Light – also known as the Menagerie Island Light – was completed a little less than a month before this structure first went into regular service. William Stevens was initially appointed acting head keeper of this lighthouse, and his wife Mary Ann was named acting first assistant keeper.
The frequently turbulent weather conditions in that region of the Great Lakes were well-documented by William Stevens in a logbook entry that he wrote a week after the inauguration of the Isle Royale Light. “Damp and cloudy,” he noted. “The East northeast gale increased almost to hurricane. At 6 AM the sea went clear over tower, rocks and broke the window sashes on south side of the house. Washed away everything loose, lumber, wood, rocks off the island.”
On November 18 of that year, William and Mary Ann Stevens each received permanent appointments to their respective positions at Isle Royale Light. They continued their shared tour of duty at this lighthouse until the summer of 1878, when John H. Malone took over as head keeper. Malone, who was a bachelor when he began his longtime service at Isle Royale Light, married Julia Shea in 1880. They ultimately had a total of twelve children, all of whom grew up there on Menagerie Island.
John H. Malone ended up working as head keeper of Isle Royale Light for 32 years altogether. The surrounding waters of Lake Superior, however, were no less rough during his tenure than they had been when his predecessor was in charge. In his logbook entry for October 1, 1884, for example, Malone recounted how ferocious waves had battered the island so severely that the boathouse was torn apart from its foundations and carried away out into the lake.
The Isle Royale Light, which has been automated since 1914, remains in operation today. This lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Photo Credit: Public Domain
For more information on the Isle Royale Light, please check out https://archives.uslhs.org/places/isle-royale and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_Royale_Light
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