Big Red Lighthouse History
https://www.bigredlighthouse.com/history
1870: Construction begins on the wooden beacon light with a $4,000 appropriation from Congress.
1880: A vicious storm (the same that sunk the Alpena) damages the pier and shifts the beacon light.
1902: A new 42-foot tall steel beacon is erected in place of the wooden structure. The new height increased visibility of the light from 11 to 13 miles.
1904: December 22, Pier and beacon light damaged in storm. The tower was dismantled and stored, and then erected on a temporary wooden foundation the next spring.
1907: A 2-story, steam-powered fog signal building, with quarters for two assistant keepers, is erected adjacent to the steel beacon as an audible navigational aid. The building was used to generate steam for a 10" diameter fog whistle. Sixty-nine-year-old Keeper Van Regenmorter was still serving as keeper during the construction of the fog signal building, but he apparently decided to end his thirty-seven years of service rather than learn to run the new equipment.
1932: The beacon light and fog signal are electrified, and the following year an air whistle replaced the old steam fog whistle.
1936: A tower is added atop the fog signal building to consolidate the light and fog signal into one building, creating the Holland Harbor South Pierhead Lighthouse. The metal pierhead tower was shipped to Calumet, where it is still in service on the south end of the breakwater.
1956: The lighthouse is painted red to comply with new regulations designating red navigational aids on the right side when entering a harbor.