Japanese Lighthouse (Poluwat, Chuuk)
| Location | Alet Island, Poluwat, Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Year first constructed | 1938 |
| Year first lit | 1940 |
| Deactivated | 1944 |
| Construction | Concrete |
| Height | ~32 m (105 ft) |
| ARLHS number | MIC-002 |
| Designated | August 16, 1983 |
| Reference no. | 83004523[1] |
The Japanese Lighthouse, or Poluwat Lighthouse, is an abandoned lighthouse situated on Alet Island in Poluwat, Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia. It was completed in 1940 by the Japanese and was in use until being attacked by U.S. forces in World War II. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The lighthouse is a good example of pre-World War II "marine architecture" built by the Japanese.[2]
Contents
Design
The Japanese Lighthouse is approximately 32 meters (105 ft) tall and built completely out of concrete with walls 0.6 meters (2 ft) thick.[3] Attached to the tower is a two-story operations building. The site also includes a 9 by 4 meters (30 ft × 13 ft), single story, concrete generator building.[3] The entire complex is surrounded by a perimeter fence consisting of horizontal and vertical concrete posts.
History
To assist with navigation by ships between Palau and Chuuk Lagoon, construction on a lighthouse was started in 1938 by the Empire of Japan. At the time, Chuuk and much of Micronesia was governed by the Japanese as part of its South Pacific Mandate. As the construction utilized forced labor from Poluwat and neighboring islands, as well as lacking heavy machinery, the lighthouse was not completed until 1940.[4] It and the nearby airfield were discovered by American reconnaissance aircraft on April 10, 1944.[5] Repeated airstrikes soon put both out of commission. The lighthouse was abandoned and never rebuilt, eventually becoming overgrown with tropical vegetation.[5] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 16, 1983.[1]
See also
- Japanese Lighthouse (Garapan, Saipan), similar lighthouse in the Northern Mariana Islands
- National Register of Historic Places listings in the Federated States of Micronesia
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Russell 1980, sec. 8, p. 1.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Russell 1980, sec. 7.
- ↑ Russell 1980, sec. 8, p. 2.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Russell 1980, sec. 8, p. 3.
Sources
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- Chuuk State
- Lighthouses completed in 1940
- Buildings and structures in the Federated States of Micronesia
- Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places
- National Register of Historic Places in the Federated States of Micronesia
- World War II sites in the Federated States of Micronesia
- World War II on the National Register of Historic Places
