page_title: Fourteen Foot Shoal Light
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Fourteen Foot Shoal Light / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Image of the Fourteen Foot Shoal lighthouse
context_page_description: The lighthouse at Fourteen Foot Shoal was named to note that the lake is only 14 feet deep at this point, which is a hazard to navigation, ships and mariners.
  This light is located at the northern end of Lake Huron, Michigan, US, where it is necessary for boats heading to Chicago to pass through a narrow strait and still avoid shallow water. The most common path is to go south of Bois Blanc Island. In this channel, the Poe Reef Light marks the northern end of the safe channel and the Fourteen Foot Shoal light marks the southern side of the channel.
context_section_description: The United States Lighthouse Service intended from the time of design that this light would be automated (possibly the first such instance) and operated by radio control from the nearby Poe Reef Light which is 3.5 miles (5.6 km) away; the keeper's house was never intended to be used as a residence.  In 1925 a temporary acetylene buoy was installed there and construction of the permanent light began in 1929 such that the light could begin operation in 1930.
  The original light was a fourth-order Fresnel lens.  The focal plane is 56 feet (17 m).  It now has a 9.8-inch (250 mm) acrylic optic Fresnel lens, and assuming it is properly installed and adjusted, has a maximum visible range of 9 nmi (17 km).  A diaphone fog horn is attached.
caption: Fourteen Foot Shoal Light ca. 1950
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