A New Beginning at Gull Rock

By Jeremiah Mason

For many years, it seemed that gulls would be the only future inhabitants of Gull Rock, as the 1867 lighthouse deteriorated into ruin. After the light was automated in 1913, the Coast Guard did not have the resources to keep the building well-maintained. Maintenance deficiencies were quickly exacerbated by conditions on the half-acre rock, where the building is completely exposed to the full fury of Lake Superior storms. Time and again, roofing materials failed and could not be replaced before significant damage occurred eventually resulting in a piano-sized hole in the roof. By the time the Gull Rock Lightkeepers organized to preserve the station, half of the second and first floors had collapsed into the basement.

In 2004, volunteers entered the dwelling for the first time in decades. Many contractors thought it would take years to clean out the building. However, due to the incredible hard work and determination of a handful of volunteers, the entire building was emptied by hand in the summer of 2008, one 55-gallon garbage can at a time, filling three dumpsters full of debris. Through the cooperation of the National Park Service, a landing craft was hired to deposit supplies and pick up debris from the rock. Robert E. Johnson Contracting Inc., a local Keweenaw contractor, repaired and capped the chimney at the lighthouse, and installed a beautiful new bright red cedar shingle roof. This work was accomplished through the generous financial assistance of the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Trust for Architectural Easements, and many other public and private donors. Future plans include continued restoration of the lighthouse, and allowing public access to the light through a fellowship program open to scholars, scientists, and artists as well as eventual tours by the general public.

Jeremiah Mason is a Gull Rock Lightkeepers board member, and a direct descendent of James Corgan, one of Gull Rock’s most famous keepers.



Lighthouse Roof Restoration (Summer 2008)

Chimney Before Restoration

 

Chimney and Roof After Restoration

 

Roof Before Restoration

 

This photo shows the bare roof sheathing after the old asphalt shingles were removed. Those old shingles were installed by the U.S. Coast Guard in the mid 1980s.

 

A few days into the project, the custom-made cedar shingles arrived from Duluth.

 

Aerial View of Lighthouse After Roof Restoration

 

Interior - Before Cleanup (August 2008)

Oil Room/Office Before Cleanup

 

Main Hall Before Cleanup

 

Main Floor Kitchen Before Cleanup (Notice the floor is almost entirely missing and the pile of debris in the basement)

 

Looking up from the basement into the main floor kitchen during cleanup. Four and a half dumpsters full of debris were carried out of the lighthouse by volunteers by hand, much of it in 55 gallon garbage cans.

 

Volunteer Jeff Schultenover shovels debris from the basement, which was hauled out by volunteers one trash can at a time, filling more than three dumpsters.

 

Interior - After Cleanup (August 2008)

Main Floor Sitting Room After Cleanup

 

Main Floor Bedroom After Cleanup

 

Second Floor Bedroom After Cleanup

 

Main Floor Sitting Room During Cleanup

 

Main Hall After Cleanup

 

Staircase From Second Floor Hall After Cleanup

 

Trash Containers for All Debris at the Rock

 

Privy Roof Restoration (Summer 2008)

Privy Before Roof Restoration

 

Privy With New Tar Paper

 

Contractors put the finishing touches in the privy roof, which is tin, just like the original.

 

Cleanup Crew Volunteers (August 2008)

Volunteers played an integral role at the lighthouse this summer hauling out debris, one trash can at a time. The debris was loaded into dumpsters and hauled off Gull Rock by landing craft and eventually transported to a regional landfill. Volunteers pictured here on the lighthouse stoop, left to right, Front Row: Sandi Siegmeier, Eva Newman, Reid Annin; Second Row: Roger Welsh, Meri Annin; Third Row: Peter Annin, Nick Annin, Bob Heverly, Londa Heverly.

 

Volunteers Chris Williams, Peter Annin, and Jeremiah Mason at High Rock Bay after the cleanup at Gull Rock

 

Volunteers Matt Liesch, Chris Williams, and Jeremiah Mason wearing respirators during the cleanup at Gull Rock – notice the effects of the hot, sweaty, very dirty work!

 

Contractors and Equipment (Summer 2008)

Contractor Robert E. "Buzz" Johnson, with his son (and boat in the distance).

 

Robbie Johnson served as the foreman on the lighthouse roof replacement project.

 

Landing craft Captain Joe Bergan, Isle Royale National Park

 

Working at Gull Rock definitely has its benefits, like having fresh lake trout for dinner.

 

Landing Craft hired from Isle Royale National Park delivers roofing supplies.

 

This amazing all-terrain forklift was used by the National Park Service to deliver supplies to Gull Rock. It is affectionately known as "The Beast" because of its ability to deliver supplies on all kinds of terrain.

 

The Beast with a load

 

View from landing craft

 

The workers pre-fabbed this small bunkhouse which served as their home during the three-week project.

 

This pre-fabbed bunkhouse sleeps four with a little room to spare. It held.

 

 

Photos on this page provided by Peter Annin, Jeremiah Mason, Debbie Roark, and Roger Welsh.