Archaeologist Dig for Old Lighthouse
By: Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Society, 989-428-5177
A team of anthropology graduate students from Western Michigan University led by Professor Michael S. Nassaney conducted a archeological dig for the original Pointe aux Barques lighthouse tower and dwelling on May 26-28, 2003.
The Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Society started searching for someone to dig at Lighthouse County Park early last summer. Based on written history, clues provided by the county park employees, and personal observations, the society decided to try and verify, or correct, accounts of a separate tower and dwelling built during 1847 at this location. The present lighthouse tower and dwelling were built in 1857. This lighthouse is still an active Aid to Navigation and the dwelling contains a lighthouse and shipwreck museum.
Initial contact was made with WMU by society members Glenn and Diana Willis. After some preliminary negotiations and research, the team arrived on Memorial Day afternoon. A tour of the site was provided by society members and the team was provided with copies of the 1847 building contract for the first lighthouse, a letter describing a 1849 fire at the dwelling, and an 1884 account describing the structural faults of the original tower and its demolition.
The next day, Tuesday, a site survey was conducted which consisted mainly of using a hi-tech piece of equipment operated by Dan Lynch. The team, including the Willis’s, laid out a grid approximately 165 x 65 feet. Then, Lynch probed the entire area with equipment that measured the soil’s resistance. This took a full day of hard work. Lynch explained to society president Ron Burkhard that he was collecting soil resistance reading into his unit and at days end would load the information into special computer software that would interpret the readings. Burkhard said, “It was a pretty technical explanation but basically Dan said that he was shooting low voltage into the soil using two hand probes and two fixed probes. Wet soil has low resistance and something like a stone foundation would have high resistance.”
That evening the group went to the Burkhard home to use their computer and view the results of the day’s labor. Burkhard said “I think that even the experienced professionals Nassaney and Lynch were surprised and excited as the results appeared on the screen. There was a clear indication of a circular indication on the display that matched the original tower base dimensions described in the original building contract. Even more surprising were the rectangular indications southwest of the circular indications that probably represented the original keepers dwelling.”
On Wednesday, after carefully studying the survey results, Professor Nassaney laid out two 50 centimeter x 2 meter areas for the team to dig. The first area started on the south end of the circular tower indication and worked in toward its center. The sod was stripped from this area and a slow careful excavation began. Small trowels, a whiskbroom, and a dustpan were used to clear the soil. The soil excavated was then sifted through a small screen. Stones laid horizontally in a foundation like manner were quickly uncovered. As the dig continued, glass, bits of brick, pieces of metal, bone, and many square nails were discovered. Eventually it was determined that the stones extended down to bedrock and mortar was discovered between the stone joints.
The second area excavated was about 15 feet southwest of the first area. The hole was oriented to cover the northeast corner of the indication for the original keeper’s dwelling. Burkhard and Conrad Latuszek worked on this excavation. Burkhard said the dig was totally different then he expected. “I expected a much faster pace as we dug, but this was just the opposite. It was a very slow careful job done by this experienced team. They discovered small items that I overlooked, such as a small bird bone and a fish bone.” Other items discovered were nails, bits of mortar, brick, glass, several small bits of charcoal, and a piece of ceramic. Nassaney said several of these items indicate domestic habitation and would expect to be found around a building such as the keepers dwelling.
The society’s goal was to discover the original towers location and preliminary results seem to indicate that this was accomplished. As a bonus, the original keeper’s dwelling may also have been located. “This is really exciting for the society and after we receive the professor’s final report, we will decide how to proceed.” Burkhard said. A possibility is to expose more of the site and leave it exposed, but protected, for tourism and education purposes for area school children. This would have to be approved by the Huron County Park Trustees and also would depend on the results of a professional feasibility study.
This project was made possible through the efforts of many people and involved the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Society members, the Huron County Road Commissioners, the Huron County Parks Superintendent, and the Lighthouse County Park Manager. Grant money to cover the WMU team’s expenses was provided by the Huron County Community Foundation.
