Wawatam Township in Mackinaw City in Emmet County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Keeper 1879-1906
James Davenport
Photographed by Mike Wintermantel, July 2, 2022
1. Keeper 1879-1906 Marker
James and Madeline Davenport raised a lighthouse family, spending 28 years at McGulpin.
James worked on schooners until he married Madeline in April of 1870. They moved to Mackinaw City and he acquired a job as 1st assistant keeper at Waugoshance Shoal Lighthouse at a salary of $400 per year. Offshore lighthouses only accommodated men so Madeline and their young family remained in Mackinaw City. After three years he was promoted to keeper at Little Sable Light, a mainland light which accommodated the entire family. In 1879 James swapped jobs with the keeper at McGulpin Point Light to be closer to their extended family. They bought a $100 lot in Mackinaw City across the street from the school, an ideal location for a large family of school children. During the winter months James worked as a carpenter and cabinet maker building many of the older homes in town including his own, constructed from wood taken from shipwrecks in the Straits.
Buying Clothes
James had to order his clothing through the lighthouse service. He was paid $540 per year. What percent of his annual salary was required to buy this one set
this page online
Erected by McGulpin Point Discovery Trail.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1870.
Location. 45° 47.217′ N, 84° 46.374′ W. Marker is in Mackinaw City, Michigan, in Emmet County. It is in Wawatam Township. It can be reached from Headlands Road. The marker is located on the grounds of the McGulpin Point Lighthouse. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 500 Headlands Road, Mackinaw City MI 49701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Michigan Lower Peninsula, on the Straits of Mackinac, and in one of the Lake Michigan Shore counties. It is also in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, in the Great North Woods, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of
Photographed by Mike Wintermantel, July 2, 2022
2. Keeper 1879-1906 Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Chi-Sin Trail (a few steps from this marker); Crossing the Straits (a few steps from this marker); Cedarville (within shouting distance of this marker); Carl D. Bradley (within shouting distance of this marker); Eber Ward (within shouting distance of this marker); James W. Bennett (within shouting distance of this marker); Minneapolis (within shouting distance of this marker); William H. Barnum (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mackinaw City.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 5, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 5, 2022, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 326 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 5, 2022, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
