Devils Day 24

Sunday July 31^st, 2005

We are at the end of our stay here. We’re still not sure why the Armstrongs didn’t come but we are grateful to have had the opportunity to spend a few weeks discovering Devil’s secrets and treasures. We didn’t have nearly enough time to pick blueberries today. Clean and pack, clean and pack. A steady stream of visitors started at noon, 18 in total including the 7 staying at the south landing. We attempted to leave the house cleaner than we found it, but Mark Swaya left it pretty spiffy. Visitation totals for July 2005:

Tours 133, tour attendance 419, informal contact 81 for a total of 500 visitors. I did 3 Jr. Ranger programs for a total of 13 badges awarded. Vessel day use was 155 and 17 overnight boats

A note on the footings at the bottom of the tower. Mark told me he thought they were NOAA related but a visitor told me today that they house the generators that powered the lamp and the motor that rotated it. The second one was a back-up. He said they were able to monitor them and switch over from Duluth. From the photos in the scrapbook, this makes sense. There appears to be an exhaust hood on one end. Other mysteries unsolved: what made the light red? A chimney? What about all the concrete footings on the lake N of the tower? The hoist shown in the 1931 newspaper story? Supports for the stairway shown in the 1893 photo?

Well, that's the end. It is with sadness we leave this beautiful place and return to the "real" world. Maybe we'll have the good fortune to return again someday.

Note: My father held on until I was off the Island, but in his final hours. He passed away on August 6th, 2005. He had a full military ceremony and burial at Fort Snelling with all the family in attendance.

With love, I dedicate this blog to
Howard Major Thomas

02/14/1918 - 08/06/2005