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 gowthof 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 ot 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 buisness 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

  1. September 29-November 3, 1923
  2. November 3-30, 1923
  3. December 1, 1923-May 5, 1924

Box 2: Log Books

Folders

  1. May 5-June 5, 1924
  2. June 5-July 7, 1924
  3. July 7-31, 1924

Box 3: Log Books

Folders

  1. July 31-August 26, 1924
  2. August 26-September 23, 1924
  3. September 23-0ctober 19, 1924

Box 4: Log Books

Folders

  1. October 19-November 12, 1924
  2. November 12-25, 1924
  3. November 26, 1924-January 26, 1925

Box 5: Log Books

Folders

  1. January 27-May 9, 1925
  2. May 9-26, 1926
  3. May 26-June 23, 1925

Box 6: Log Books

Folders

  1. June 23-July 17, 1925
  2. July 17-August 12, 1925
  3. August 12-September 1, 1925

Box 7: Log Books

Folders

  1. September 1-26, 1925
  2. September 26-October 24, 1925
  3. October 24-November 17, 1925

Box 8: Log Books

Folders

  1. November 17-December 31, 1925
  2. April 25-May 22, 1926
  3. May 21-June 17, 1926

Box 9: Log Books

Folders

  1. June 17-July 10, 1926
  2. July 10-August 5, 1926
  3. August 5-September 1, 1926

Box 10: Log Books

Folders

  1. September 1-26, 1926
  2. September 24-October 19, 1926
  3. October 20-November 13, 1926

Box 11: Log Books

Folders

  1. November 13-December 3, 1926
  2. December 3, 1926-April 20, 1927
  3. April 20-May 19, 1927

Box 12: Log Books

Folders

  1. May 19-June 13, 1927
  2. June 14-July 12, 1927
  3. July 12-August 8, 1927

Box 13: Log Books

Folders

  1. August 8-30, 1927
  2. August 30-September 26, 1927
  3. September 26-October 20, 1927

Box 14: Log Books

Folders

  1. October 20-November 12, 1927
  2. November 12-December 7, 1927
  3. December 7-17, 1927

Box 15: Log Books

Folders

  1. April 12-May 9, 1928
  2. May 9-25, 1928
  3. May 25-June 18, 1928

Box 16: Log Books

Folders

  1. June 19-July 4, 1928
  2. July 4-28, 1928
  3. July 28-August 20, 1928

Box 17: Log Books

Folders

  1. August 20-September 11, 1928
  2. September 11-October 5, 1928
  3. October 5-28, 1928

Box 18: Log Books

Folders

  1. October 29-November 23, 1928
  2. November 23-December 15, 1928
  3. April 9-May 11, 1929

Box 19: Log Books

Folders

  1. May11-June 9, 1929
  2. June 10-July 8, 1929
  3. July 8-August 8, 1929

Box 20: Log Books

Folders

  1. August 8-September 6, 1929
  2. September 17-October 19, 1929
  3. October 19-November 20, 1929

Box 21: Log Books

Folders

  1. November 20, 1929-May 9, 1930
  2. May 9-June 16, 1930
  3. June 16-July 27, 1930

Box 22: Log Books

Folders

  1. July 27-September 10, 1930
  2. September 10-October 20, 1930