What to make of this description?

[andylphoto]

While in Escanaba recently, I photographed QL0474, intending to log it for the contest. However, I didn't read the datasheet closely when I printed it. When I went to log it, I decided to start a topic and get advice from those more experienced.

 

The station is a location adjusted intersection station. It has been logged on geocaching numerous times, and once with the NGS by a geocacher. However, the description doesn't make exactly clear what the station is. In my experience, it has been the light. The description for QL0474 notes that the light and cupola have been removed, but doesn't note whether that was assumed to be the station, or whether the station is the center of the remaining tower, or what.

 

As evidenced by recent photos, the light has been replaced, as the lighthouse has been restored and is now open for tours.

 

So the question...is the station destroyed, or in good condition, or can anyone even say for sure? It probably doesn't exactly matter, but it's a curiosity, and if it's destroyed (or possibly destroyed), I can let Deb know so she can take it out of the database.

 

Any takers?

 

Andy

[Papa-Bear-NYC]

While in Escanaba recently, I photographed QL0474, intending to log it for the contest. However, I didn't read the datasheet closely when I printed it. When I went to log it, I decided to start a topic and get advice from those more experienced.

 

The station is a location adjusted intersection station. It has been logged on geocaching numerous times, and once with the NGS by a geocacher. However, the description doesn't make exactly clear what the station is. In my experience, it has been the light. The description for QL0474 notes that the light and cupola have been removed, but doesn't note whether that was assumed to be the station, or whether the station is the center of the remaining tower, or what.

 

As evidenced by recent photos, the light has been replaced, as the lighthouse has been restored and is now open for tours.

 

So the question...is the station destroyed, or in good condition, or can anyone even say for sure? It probably doesn't exactly matter, but it's a curiosity, and if it's destroyed (or possibly destroyed), I can let Deb know so she can take it out of the database.

 

Any takers?

 

Andy

I would say it was destroyed back in 1954 and that is why it was logged by the USGS at that time. Frequently these items are left in for years after they are destroyed and logged as destroyed. I think in earlier times, there was not the formal way to get these things declared destroyed as there is now. Remember it was all on paper at that time.

 

Also, since most observations of these stations were done at night, the remainder of the tower wouldn't be much good without the light on top.

 

HOWEVER: since the NGS officially doesn't care about such stations in this day of GPS observations, I wouldn't bother logging it with the NGS at all, and there's just enough ambiguity in the datasheet so that they probably wouldn't mark is as destroyed anyway. (Irony: "Yes it was effectively logged as destroyed in 1954, and we don't care about these stations anymore anyway, but we'll leave it in the Db anyway".)

 

So log it on GC however you think it should be, and we'll have some fun talking about it.

Edited May 22, 2007 by Papa-Bear-NYC

[AZcachemeister]

Only someone who knows the history of the lighthouse around that time can answer that question.

The cupola looks darned authentic in the photos on the page.

I wonder how long it sat 'un-restored?

Did they take it apart bolt-by-bolt, and then re-assemble it?

If they did, would it still be the same mark?

Is the current rendition just a 'reproduction'?

Edited May 23, 2007 by AZcachemeister