Marquette Harbor Lighthouse Lens
The smallest of the Fresnel lenses on display at the Museum is a fourth order lens. For such a small lens it has a very interesting history.
The first fourth order Fresnel was installed in Marquette Light in 1866. This is believed to be that lens. Fresnel lenses did not have serial numbers so they are essentially untraceable other than by type. The nominal range was 15 miles.
In 1908 a new fourth order Fresnel was installed in the Harbor lighthouse and this lens transferred to the small lighthouse at the end of the harbor breakwater. In 1986 the Coast Guard demolished the breakwater lighthouse and replaced it with the current oversized white sewer pipe with a lexan optic. As the Fresnel was nolonger needed, the Museum executed a loan agreement with the Coast Guard for the lens.
Like the Big Bay lens, this lens also did not rotate. It was placed in a set position and the individual characteristic provided by a colored lamp or flashing light. the small wheels at the base are to allow the keeper to more readily move the lens for cleaning.
