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Introduction | Organizational History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory
Introduction
The WLC Marine Radio Company Collection was transferred to the Institute on October 26, 1984 and June 30, 1988. Instruments
of gift were signed on the dates of transfer.
Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public and duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation
and scholarly research. Final processing was completed with the assistance of a National Endowment for the Humanities grant
in August 1991 by Mark. J. Barnes and Monica Manny.
Organizational History
The marine radio station known by the call letters WLC was founded in the year 1922 in Rogers City, Michigan by the Michigan
Limestone and Chemical Company. This station has also been known as WHT and WCAF. In 1924 WHT offered continuous service to
the public on wavelengths of 300, 600, 750, 1764 and 1800 meters. WLC was created in an era of rapid growth of communication
service on the Great Lakes following WW I. The US Navy was closing its marine radio stations around the Lakes, including the
Alpena, Michigan facility. Michigan Limestone and Chemical wished to retain weather reporting service in the region and opened
its own station to communicate with vessels in the Bradley, Wyandotte and Boland-Cornelius fleets. Such stations were designed
to give warning to vessels to avoid storms such as that of November 8-11, 19113 which resulted in 248 fatalities and a loss
of $15 million in vessel and property damage. WLC has maintained its service to Lake Huron traffic to the present.
Scope and Content
This eleven cubic of log books from the marine radio station WLC in Rogers City, Michigan document daily operations from 1923
through 1930 of one of the earliest such navigational aid facilities on the Great Lakes. Vessels traveling Lake Huron off
the Michigan shore received weather data and other navigational assistance from the radio telephone operators at WLC. Distress
calls are recorded along with routine business matters. The daily entries over an eight-year period provide a detailed account
of how such a station operated. This time capsule is of interest to researchers studying the development of navigational assistance
techniques on the Great Lakes.
Series Description
REPORTS
WLC MARINE RADIO COMPANY LOG BOOKS
Boxes 1-22
1923-1930
Arranged chronologically
Series contains radio logs from the Rogers City, Michigan radio telephone station (WLC) dating form 1923 through 1930. Founded
in 1922, WLC was one of the most important wireless stations on the Great Lakes and a pioneer in American maritime communication.
The Station Logs contain important information regarding vessel routing systems, calls for assistance, business transactions,
and logistical problems in ports.
Inventory
Box 1: Log Books
Folders
- September 29-November 3, 1923
- November 3-30, 1923
- December 1, 1923-May 5, 1924
Box 2: Log Books
Folders
- May 5-June 5, 1924
- June 5-July 7, 1924
- July 7-31, 1924
Box 3: Log Books
Folders
- July 31-August 26, 1924
- August 26-September 23, 1924
- September 23-0ctober 19, 1924
Box 4: Log Books
Folders
- October 19-November 12, 1924
- November 12-25, 1924
- November 26, 1924-January 26, 1925
Box 5: Log Books
Folders
- January 27-May 9, 1925
- May 9-26, 1926
- May 26-June 23, 1925
Box 6: Log Books
Folders
- June 23-July 17, 1925
- July 17-August 12, 1925
- August 12-September 1, 1925
Box 7: Log Books
Folders
- September 1-26, 1925
- September 26-October 24, 1925
- October 24-November 17, 1925
Box 8: Log Books
Folders
- November 17-December 31, 1925
- April 25-May 22, 1926
- May 21-June 17, 1926
Box 9: Log Books
Folders
- June 17-July 10, 1926
- July 10-August 5, 1926
- August 5-September 1, 1926
Box 10: Log Books
Folders
- September 1-26, 1926
- September 24-October 19, 1926
- October 20-November 13, 1926
Box 11: Log Books
Folders
- November 13-December 3, 1926
- December 3, 1926-April 20, 1927
- April 20-May 19, 1927
Box 12: Log Books
Folders
- May 19-June 13, 1927
- June 14-July 12, 1927
- July 12-August 8, 1927
Box 13: Log Books
Folders
- August 8-30, 1927
- August 30-September 26, 1927
- September 26-October 20, 1927
Box 14: Log Books
Folders
- October 20-November 12, 1927
- November 12-December 7, 1927
- December 7-17, 1927
Box 15: Log Books
Folders
- April 12-May 9, 1928
- May 9-25, 1928
- May 25-June 18, 1928
Box 16: Log Books
Folders
- June 19-July 4, 1928
- July 4-28, 1928
- July 28-August 20, 1928
Box 17: Log Books
Folders
- August 20-September 11, 1928
- September 11-October 5, 1928
- October 5-28, 1928
Box 18: Log Books
Folders
- October 29-November 23, 1928
- November 23-December 15, 1928
- April 9-May 11, 1929
Box 19: Log Books
Folders
- May11-June 9, 1929
- June 10-July 8, 1929
- July 8-August 8, 1929
Box 20: Log Books
Folders
- August 8-September 6, 1929
- September 17-October 19, 1929
- October 19-November 20, 1929
Box 21: Log Books
Folders
- November 20, 1929-May 9, 1930
- May 9-June 16, 1930
- June 16-July 27, 1930
Box 22: Log Books
Folders
- July 27-September 10, 1930
- September 10-October 20, 1930
HCGL Manuscript Checklist | Business & Commerce | Safety on the Waterways
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