Ninth District Lighthouse Depot
N 42° 06.861 W 086° 29.099
16T E 542576 N 4662600
The former Lighthouse Depot building was completed in 1893. It included the main storehouse, Keeper’s House, and a carpenter-lampist shop. It later served the Navy, Army Reserves, and Michigan National Guard. It now houses a Yacht Club.
Waymark Code: WM36QT
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 02/19/2008
Views: 23
From the H20 Community Notes weblog:
"The yacht club is actually younger than the new Clubhouse, the former Lighthouse Depot building, completed in 1893. It included the main storehouse, Keeper’s House, and a carpenter-lampist shop. The Lighthouse Depot served as the primary supply and buoy repair depot for the all of Lake Michigan including Green Bay. The tracks for the trams and turntables used to switch the trams, are still in evidence, especially on the sidewalk to the river where the supply tenders were docked for loading and unloading.
In 1916, depot operations were moved to Milwaukee and the building was vacated. The building was then transferred to the Navy Department in 1918. It continued to house some naval/militia reserves until about 1950. By 1952 it was housing the Army Reserves. From 1956 to 1993, it housed four units of the Michigan Army National Guard. The property was then vacated in October of 1993. The property fell idle and continued to deteriorate until 1996 when a group of developers bought the property and invested in extensive renovations and expansion. It was operated as a restaurant and party facility into 2001.
In recognition of the historic significance of the structure, the Ninth District Lighthouse Depot was added to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places in 1994. The eastern part of the building, cast iron pillars, steel shutters, and circular stairway are all original. The vestibule, galley, and atrium are new construction. The tower (south entrance) still displays the original counterweights for a 3,000 lb. lift. Its pulley system can be seen above the third floor. The second and third floors have the original ash flooring with square-cut nails. One of the two original tram turntables was relocated from the northwest corner of the property to the vestibule floor."