Michigan Lighthouses: Upper Peninsula

The state of Michigan comes in two parts: the Lower Peninsula (between Lakes Huron and Michigan) and the Upper Peninsula (between Lakes Michigan and Superior). Putting the two together, the state has an astonishingly long coastline, so it is not surprising that Michigan has more lighthouses than any other U.S. state, by quite a large margin. The Directory has information on more than 130 Michigan lights.

This lighthouse heritage is well recognized. Michigan is the only state that supports lighthouse preservation with a program of annual grants from the state to local preservation groups. All over the state, volunteers are working hard to save and restore lighthouses. There is a state preservation society, the Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy, and the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association is also based in the state.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. USCG numbers are from Volume VII of the United States Coast Guard Light List.

Crisp Point Light, July 2005
Creative Commons photo by James Marvin Phelps

General Sources
Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy: This organization is dedicated to the preservation of lighthouses and life saving stations throughout the state.
Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival: Based in Alpena, the festival is held annually in mid October and supports preservation efforts, especially for lighthouses of northwest Lake Huron and the Mackinac Straits area.
Michigan Lighthouse Project: Information posted by the Michigan Department of State, which administers state grants for lighthouse preservation
Upper Peninsula Lighthouses on Lake Superior Open to the Public: Complete and well-illustrated accounts for 6 Upper Peninsula lights.
Lighthouses of the Straits of Mackinac: Fine photos posted by Keith Stokes.
Marquette County Lighthouses: Photos and descriptions posted by the county.

North Channel (Straits of Mackinac) Lighthouses
Note: The Straits of Mackinac (pronounced "mackinaw") connect Lake Huron on the east and Lake Michigan on the west, separating Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. Bois Blanc Island divides the eastern part of the strait into the North Channel and South Channel. The Mackinac Bridge, completed in 1957, carries the I-75 expressway across the narrowest passage of the strait near St. Ignace.
* Six Mile Point Range Rear: Date unknown (around 1930?). Inactive. Tapered round cylindrical cast iron (?) tower, painted white. This tower was built on the St. Mary's River south of Mission Point, a few miles southeast of Sault Sainte Marie. According to Terry Pepper, range lights of this design were installed along the river around 1930. The light has been relocated to the grounds of the Les Cheneaux Historical Maritime Museum in Cedarville. Located on MI 134 at Lake Street, a short distance east of MI 129 in Cedarville; Google has a satellite view. Site open year round, museum open daily during the summer, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Les Cheneaux Historical Maritime Museum. ARLHS USA-1091.
Northshore Lake Michigan Lighthouses
St. Helena Island: 1873. Active; focal plane 71 ft (21.5 m); white flash every 6 s. 71 ft (21.5 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house; 250 mm lens. Tower painted white, gallery black, lantern red. Sibling of Point Iroquois Light. Marinas.com has aerial photos. Restored through efforts of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association and local volunteers. In 2000, GLLKA leased property at Poupard Bay on US 2 opposite the island as a site for a dock to provide regular access to the light station. In 2001, the Little Traverse Conservancy bought the 266-acre (108 ha) island from its private owners as a nature and lighthouse preserve. In June 2002, Terry Pepper reported, "Restoration of the keeper's dwelling is now nearly complete. The privy and oil house have been restored, the assistant keeper's dwelling has been rebuilt by the Boy Scouts, and work is well underway on the restoration of the boathouse." Located on an island at the western end of the Straits of Mackinac, about 2 miles (3 km) from the shore of the Upper Peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site open, buildings open to GLLKA guided tours. Owner/site manager: Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association. ARLHS USA-794; USCG 7-17720.
Lansing Shoal: 1928. Active; focal plane 69 ft (21 m); white flash every 10 s. 59 ft (18 m) square cylindrical steel and concrete tower with lantern, centered on a square concrete keeper's house, mounted on a concrete and stone crib; solar-powered 190 mm lens (1985). Tower is unpainted concrete; lantern is gray. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) as needed. The original 3° Fresnel lens is on display at the Michigan Historical Museum in Lansing since 1985. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo. The crib was slightly damaged by collision with a freighter in 1995. Located in northern Lake Michigan between the Beaver Islands and Naubinway. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-428; USCG 7-21535.
[Naubinway Island (2)]: Date uncertain (station established 1931). Active; focal plane 32 ft (10 m); white flash every 4 s. 9 m (30 ft) white round cylindrical "D9" tower without lantern. This tower is similar to many of the modern pierhead lights on Lake Michigan. Located on a small island about a mile off Millecoquins Point in Naubinway. Visible from the Point and from beaches throughout the Naubinway area. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1083; USCG 7-21580.
Upper Green Bay Lighthouses
Note: Green Bay is a large embayment on the northwestern shore of Lake Michigan, separated from the main part of the lake by Wisconsin's Door Peninsula and a series of islands.
St. Martin Island: 1905. Active; focal plane 84 ft (25.5 m); flash every 5 s, alternating red and white. 75 ft (23 m) hexagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, formed by cast iron panels hung between six steel columns. 190 mm lens; original 4° Fresnel lens on display at Point Iroquois Light (see below). Tower is white, lantern painted black. Original 2-1/2 story brick keeper's house occupied in season by a caretaker. Brick fog signal building. Anderson has a good photo, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the station. The "exoskeletal" design of this lighthouse is unique in the U.S., but Canada has a number of lighthouses built on related designs. The light station is managed by the Little Traverse Bay Band of the Odawa Indian Nation. Located on an island in the Rock Island Passage entrance to Green Bay, about 12 miles southwest of Fairport. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. Site manager: Little Traverse Bay Band. ARLHS USA-802; USCG 7-21450.
* Point Peninsula (Peninsula Point): 1866. Inactive since 1936. 40 ft (12 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted; lantern and gallery painted black. The keeper's house (formerly attached) burned in 1959. Anderson has an excellent photo, a nice closeup photo is available, the U.S. Forest Service has a web page for the lighthouse, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the light station. Doors and windows removed, but the tower is well maintained by the Forest Service. A popular picnic location, also well known for concentrations of monarch butterflies in the early fall. Located at the end of county road 513 on the point separating Big Bay de Noc from Little Bay de Noc east of Escanaba. Site and tower open. Owner: U.S. Forest Service. Site manager: Hiawatha National Forest. ARLHS USA-591.
Minneapolis Shoal: 1935. Active; focal plane 82 ft (25 m); white flash every 5 s. 70 ft (21 m) square cylindrical steel and concrete tower with lantern, centered on a square concrete keeper's quarters, mounted on a concrete and stone crib. Tower is unpainted white concrete with a single red horizontal band; lantern painted black. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) as needed. The original 4° Fresnel lens was recently removed; its whereabouts is unknown. Sibling of Lansing Shoal Light (above). Anderson has good aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. Located about 10 miles (16 km) south of Peninsula Point in the entrance to Little Bay de Noc and Escanaba Harbor. Accessible only by boat; visible on the horizon from Peninsula Point. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-500; USCG 7-21610.

[Cedar River Range]: 1889 (front light) and 1891 (rear light). Inactive since about 1912. Both lighthouses, square pyramidal wood skeletal towers, have been demolished. The original 1-1/2 story brick and wood keeper's house and brick oil house survive. Terri Boucher has posted a history of Cedar River and the light station. The house is a private residence. Located on the south side of Big Cedar River and the west side of MI 35 in Cedar River, about 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Menominee. Visible at a distance. Site closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-942 (front) and 1071 (rear).
* Menominee (Marinette) North Pierhead: 1927. Active; focal plane 46 ft (14 m); red light occulting every 4 s. 34 ft (10 m) octagonal pyramidal cast iron tower mounted on a concrete platform over a crib at the end of the pier; solar-powered 300 mm lens. Original 4° Fresnel lens transferred to Sand Point Light, Escanaba, in 1989. Tower painted red with a black lantern; concrete base is white. Anderson has excellent photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo, as well as an older photo of the station in its priginal form. In 2005, the lighthouse became available for transfer under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. Located on the pier at the end of Harbor Drive off First Street in Menominee. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-490; USCG 7-21935.
* Menominee (Marinette) North Pier: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 59 ft (18 m), continuous red light. 50 ft (15 m) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with gallery, painted red. Located on the Menominee North Pier about 600 ft (180 m) from the pierhead lighthouse. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-21940.
St. Marys River Lighthouses
Note: The St. Marys River is the outlet for Lake Superior. It is about 75 mi (125 km) long, draining southeastward into the northern end of Lake Huron. For much of its course it is braided, with numerous islands, some in the United States and some in Canada. The Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, first opened in 1855, bypass the rapids of the river and open Lake Superior to navigation by large vessels.
Pipe Island: 1888. Active; focal plane 52 ft (16 m); white flash every 10 s. 44 ft (13.5 m) tower, consisting of a 25 ft (7.5 m) octagonal brick tower topped by a steel skeletal tower carrying a large red and white daymark. Brick tower painted white, skeletal tower black. This lighthouse was built privately by the Lake Carriers Association but was later taken over by the lighthouse service. The original lantern was replaced by the skeletal tower in 1941. The Coast Guard has a historic photo of the lighthouse in its original form, but the tower is rather inconspicuous in a Google satellite view of the station. The island is privately owned, and except for the buildings it is protected by a conservation easement held by the Little Traverse Conservancy. In 2002, the island was sold to Mary and John Kostecki, who operated it as a vacation resort with three cottages for rental. The Kosteckis began work restoring the lighthouse, and they hoped eventually to rebuild the lantern. However, in 2006 the island was listed for sale and apparently sold; the new owners are not known. Located on the southwest side of Pipe Island, northeast of DeTour Village. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower open to paying guests. Owner (tower): U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: private. ARLHS USA-602; USCG 7-12875.
Round Island (St. Mary's River): 1892. Inactive since 1929. Approx. 50 ft (15 m) square cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. The active light is a post light: focal plane 28 ft (8.5 m); white flash every 2.5 s. Private summer residence. The Coast Guard has a historic photo of the station, and Google has a satellite view. Not to be confused with the Round Island Light in the Straits of Mackinac (see above) or yet another Round Island at the western end of the river (see below), this Round Island is between Lime Island and Point aux Frenes, northeast of Goetzville. In 2000 the building was renovated and expanded by the owners, Paul and Georgeann Lindberg; it looks great now, but it has been altered somewhat from its historic appearance. Located at the west end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-709; USCG 7-12940.
Lower Nicolet West Range Front (1): 1907 (relocated from Windmill Point, Detroit, in 1931). Inactive since 1993. 55 ft (17 m) slender round cylindrical steel tower, painted red. Neil Schultheiss also has a photo of this unusual and little-known light, and Google has a satellite view. Standing next to the old tower is the modern square cylindrical skeletal tower (1993; focal plane 53 ft (16 m); continuous white light). Located on the north end of Neebish Island. Accessible by a hike of about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the end of Brander Road; Neebish Island is accessible by ferry from Barbeau. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1092; USCG 7-13365.
* Bayfield Rock Range Rear (Little Rapids Cut Range Rear) (2): Date unknown (station established 1895). Active; focal plane 54 ft (16.5 m); continuous white light. 40 ft (12 m) square steel skeletal tower with a square equipment shed on the gallery. Equipment building painted white. The 2-story wood keeper's house survives from the former light station, which is built at a sharp bend of the St. Mary's River. The Coast Guard has a historic photo of the station, and Google has a satellite view. The original Little Rapids Cut Range guided upstream traffic, but the modern Bayfield Rock Range guides ships downstream below the Soo Locks. John Kulba has contributed photos showing renovations to the building in progress during the summer of 2002. Apparently the building is now used for offices of the Corps of Engineers. Located at the end of East Portage Avenue in Sault Sainte Marie, adjacent to the Sugar Island Ferry terminal. Site and tower closed, but parking is available nearby. Owner/site manager: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Soo Locks. ARLHS USA-441; USCG 7-14165.
* Birch Point Range Front (2): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 51 ft (15.5 m); continuous red light. 53 ft (16 m) skeletal tower with gallery. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the actual Birch Point at the end of Birch Point Road, about 1 mi (1.6 km) to the west of the historic light station and about 2 miles (3 km) northeast of Brimley. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-14430.
Birch Point Range Rear (2): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 101 ft (31 m) continuous red light visible only on the range line. 75 ft (23 m) skeletal tower with gallery. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located in heavy forest 3000 ft (915 m) southeast of the front light. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-14435.
Southeast Lake Superior Lighthouses
**** Point Iroquois (2): 1871 (station established 1855). Inactive since 1971. 65 ft (20 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 2-story brick keeper's house (1902). Lighthouse painted white; lantern and gallery black. Original 4° Fresnel lens at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Original keeper's house (1870), used as assistant keeper's quarters after 1902, also preserved. Volunteer caretakers live on site year round. A good photo of the station is available, Anderson has photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The light station is a museum, restored through efforts of the Bay Mills/Brimley Historical Research Society. The 4° Fresnel lens from Martin Reef Light is on display. The national forest has a text page on the lighthouse. Located on Lakeshore Drive about 7.5 miles (12 km) northwest of Brimley at the entrance to the St. Mary's River from Lake Superior. Site open, museum open daily mid May through mid October. Owner: U.S. Forest Service. Site manager: Hiawatha National Forest. ARLHS USA-624.

** Crisp Point: 1904. Inactive since 1947. 58 ft (17.5 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-story brick service building. Lighthouse painted white; lantern and gallery painted black, lantern roof red. The keeper's house and other buildings have all been demolished or washed away by the lake. A photo appears at the top of this page, Terry Pepper has photos and a historical account, Anderson has two good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo showing the keeper's house. The tower is critically endangered by beach erosion, as seen in a 2004 photo. Riprap placed around the tower base is providing at least temporary protection, but storm waves threatened the station as recently as November 2005. An August 2006 photo shows much improved conditions. Volunteers are working to save the tower and provide parking and facilities. There is also a plan to relight the lighthouse. In late 2006, construction began to replace the brick service building lost to erosion in 1996; the building was completed in 2007. There are also plans to build a replica of the original fog signal building as a visitor center for the station, and a 4° Fresnel lens has been loaned to the society for display. Located at the end of county road 412, which was extended to the lighthouse in 1999; to find this road turn off MI 123 onto county road 500 halfway between Paradise and Newberry (these are unpaved roads: 4WD recommended). Site open, tower open weekends in season. Owner/site manager: Crisp Point Light Historical Society. ARLHS USA-203.
*** Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Outer: 1895. Active; focal plane 40 ft (12 m); white flash every 2.5 s. 34 ft (10 m) square pyamidal skeletal tower with gallery and an enclosed workroom below the light; lantern removed. Entire lighthouse painted white. D. Malewski has a closeup photo, Anderson has photos, and Google has a satellite view. The two Grand Marais lights were designed to function as a range, but they are no longer used in that way. The harbor is sheltered by a sand spit stabilized by a terminal groin. Located at the north end of the groin. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1080; USCG 7-14550.
*** Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner: 1898. Active; focal plane 54 ft (16.5 m); continuous white light. 47 ft (14 m) square pyamidal skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and an enclosed workroom below the lantern. Original 5° Fresnel lens in use. Entire lighthouse painted white. The 2-story brick keeper's house (1908) is now the Lightkeepers House Museum. A good closeup is available, Lighthouse Heritage has photos of both towers, and Google has a satellite view. The inner light is located at the south end of the groin, near the keeper's house. Site open; museum open daily (free) in July and August, weekends in June and September; towers closed. Owner: (tower) U.S. Coast Guard, (keeper's house) U.S. National Park Service (Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore). Site manager: Grand Marais Historical Society. ARLHS USA-1079; USCG 7-14560.
Grand Island East Channel: 1870. Inactive since 1913. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery attached church-style to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's quarters. A 2008 photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Lighthouse Digest featured the lighthouse in its January 2000 issue. Critically endangered by past neglect and beach erosion. The owner and local volunteers have done some stabilization work in an effort to save the lighthouse, and the American Lighthouse Foundation launched a fundraising campaign. In 2000, volunteers built 75% of a seawall to protect the lighthouse. In 2001 the seawall was completed and work was scheduled to begin on the building. The Alger Historical Society is coordinating preservation efforts. We need current information on the progress of the project, but a September 2006 photo shows that the seawall is intact, the foundation appears sound, and the wood has been restored. Located on the southeast coast of Grand Island at the entrance to Grand Island Harbor Bay. Visible from boat tours of the Pictured Rocks lakeshore. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-328.
Grand Island North (Old North) (2): 1867 (station established 1856). Inactive since 1961. 40 ft (12 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery attached church-style to 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. Tower painted white, lantern black; the house is currently painted a pale yellow. The modern light (1961; focal plane 190 ft (58 m), white flash every 6 s) is mounted on a 25 ft (7.5 m) white post in front of the lighthouse. Anderson has photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The light station is at the top of a spectacular 165 ft (50 m) vertical cliff. The lighthouse is a private summer residence, renovated and modernized by its current owners, Pat and Loren Graham. Located at the northern tip of Grand Island north of Munising. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-329; USCG 7-14570.
Marquette Area Lighthouses [Marquette Breakwater Outer (2)]: 1908 (station established 1875). This light tower, a 36 ft (11 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower with an enclosed workroom below the lantern, was demolished in 1986; the Coast Guard has a historic photo. The original 4° Fresnel lens (1866), transferred from the Marquette Harbor Light, is on display at the Marquette Maritime Museum. The active light (focal plane 36 ft (11 m); white light occulting every 4 s) is on a "D9" cylindrical steel tower; Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater. Site and tower closed. Site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-476; USCG 7-14635.
Presque Isle Harbor Breakwater: 1941. Active; focal plane 56 ft (17 m); red flash every 4 s. 40 ft (12 m) round cylindrical steel tower rising from octagonal steel fog signal enclosure, mounted on square concrete base. No lantern. Lighthouse painted white with a single red horizontal band. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s) as needed. Art Walaszek has a good photo, Anderson has good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater off Lakeshore Drive on the north side of Marquette. Good views from the city's Presque Isle Park. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1111; USCG 7-14670.
Granite Island (1): 1869. Inactive since 1939. 40 ft (12 m) square cylindrical granite tower with lantern and gallery attached church-style to 2-story granite keeper's quarters. Lighthouse is unpainted stone; lantern and gallery painted black. Steel bell tower (1879) (bell removed). Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the light station, Terry Pepper also has a great page on the light station, Anderson has several photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Formerly abandoned and endangered, the lighthouse (and the island) were sold in 1999 to Scott Holman, a director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society. He has made good progress on restoration of the light station, and the lighthouse has been removed from the Doomsday List. A webcam gives a current view of the restored lighthouse. Located on a small island 6 miles (10 km) off Thoney Point, north of Marquette. Accessible only by boat; tours available. Site open, tower closed. Owner: private. Site manager: Granite Island Light Station. ARLHS USA-333.
Granite Island (3): 1995 (station established 1869). Active; focal plane focal plane 96 ft (29 m); white flash every 6 s. Approx. 50 ft (15 m) square cylindrical steel skeletal tower. Located close to the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-14700.
Stannard Rock: 1882 (John A. Bailey). Active; focal plane 102 ft (31 m); white flash every 6 s. 110 ft (33.5 m) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, incorporating keeper's quarters, built on a crib; solar-powered 300 mm lens. The original 2° Fresnel lens, rediscovered in a Coast Guard warehouse in 1999, is on display at the Marquette Maritime Museum in Marquette; the base unit for the lens was relocated from the tower to the museum in 2000. Tower is unpainted stone; lantern and gallery painted black. The tower also carries an array of weather instruments as a NOAA C-MAN station. Anderson has good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo. This is probably the most exposed of all Great Lakes lighthouses. It was automated after its interior was gutted by explosion and fire on 18 June 1961. Located in Lake Superior 23 mi (37 km) southeast of Manitou Island and 25 mi (40 km) north of Marquette. Accessible only by boat; tours available. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-808; USCG 7-14725.
Big Bay and Baraga Area Lighthouses
Sand Point (Baraga) (1): 1878. Inactive since 1922. Square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery rising from 2-story brick keeper's quarters. Lighthouse is unpainted red brick with white trim; lantern and gallery painted white. The active light (focal plane 40 ft (12 m); white flash every 4 s) is on a square cylindrical steel skeletal tower. Anderson has good photos, a closeup photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. One of two Sand Point Lights in Michigan, the other being at Escanaba (see above). The lighthouse was relocated 200 ft (60 m) inland in 1898 to escape beach erosion. The building has been significantly modified over its years as a private residence. It is now owned by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community as part of its Ojibwa Recreation Area. Located off US 41 on the north side of the Baraga harbor entrance. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. ARLHS USA-725; USCG 7-14750.
Keweenaw Peninsula Lighthouses
Note: Shaped rather like a bird's wing, the Keweenaw Peninsula (pronounced key-wee-naw) arcs northeastward about 60 mi (100 km) into the south side of Lake Ontario. The Keweenaw Waterway, opened in the 1860s, provides a shortcut from southeast to northwest across the peninsula.
Gull Rock: 1867. Active; focal plane 50 ft (15 m); 2 white flashes every 5 s. 46 ft (14 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery attached church-style to 2-story brick keeper's house; 250 mm lens. The original 4° Fresnel lens is said to be on display at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point (see above), although Terry Pepper reports that the lens on display there may be misidentified. Lighthouse painted white; lantern and gallery painted black; roofs are red. Gravely endangered by erosion and wave action, this lighthouse is on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. The exterior of the lighthouse was recently repainted and repaired. The interior, heavily damaged by water before the roof was repaired, is in ruins. Lighthouse Digest has an April 2002 feature story on the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo. In 2005, ownership was transferred to two preservation groups, one of which, the Gull Rock Lightkeepers, has begun the task of restoration. The first step, raising funds to be used as matching money for a larger grant, was assisted in June 2006 by a $5000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In December, the state granted $40,000 to start repairs of the lighthouse. Serious restoration work began in the summer of 2008; a new roof was installed on the lighthouse and debris was cleared from the interior. Located on a small island between Keweenaw Point and Manitou Island at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Accessible only by boat (dangerous to attempt landing). Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Gull Rock Lightkeepers and Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy . ARLHS USA-361; USCG 7-15165.
Manitou (Manitou Island) (2): 1862 (station established 1849). Active; focal plane 81 ft (25 m); white flash every 10 s. 80 ft (24.5 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder, lantern, and gallery, attached to 2-story wood keeper's house; 190 mm lens. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s) as needed. Fog signal building (1930). Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the complete station. Sibling of Whitefish Point Light (see above). The lighthouse is endangered by beach erosion; Lighthouse Heritage reports that the original foundation of the tower has been eroded. Terry Pepper visited the station in 2003 and reported the buildings to be in relatively good condition. In 2004 the light station was transferred to the Keweenaw Land Trust under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. Volunteers have succeeded in stabilizing the buildings, and there are plans for restoration. The trust has a page describing the island and light station. Located on the western tip of the island about 5 miles (8 km) east of Keweenaw Point. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: Keweenaw Land Trust. ARLHS USA-470; USCG 7-15170.

* Eagle Harbor Range Rear (1): 1877. Inactive since 1911. Square wood cupola on a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; roofs are red. Sibling of Copper Harbor Range Rear. Anderson has photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the station. the lighthouse was relocated to the south side of MI 32 in 1932, and since then it has been a private summer residence. A brick storage building remains at the original site, along with the modern post lights (front range focal plane 25 ft (7.5 m), quick-flashing green light; rear range focal plane 34 ft (10 m), green light, 3 s on, 3 s off; both lights also have large red-and-white vertically striped daymarks). Located on the south side of the harbor, east of the town of Eagle Harbor. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-255; USCG 7-15210 and 15215.
*** Eagle Harbor (2): 1871 (station established 1851). Active; focal plane 60 ft (18 m); flash every 10 s, alternating red and white. 44 ft (13.5 m) octagonal brick tower with lantern and gallery attached to 1-1/2 story "Norman Gothic" brick keeper's house; DCB-224 aerobeacon (1968). Tower painted white, except the face next to the house is unpainted; lantern roof is red. Rectangular steel wood fog signal building (1895), oil house, and 2 wood assistant keeper's quarters relocated from the Coast Guard station across the harbor. B. Givens has a great photo, Anderson has photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The light station is a maritime museum. In 1999 Congress deeded the station to the historical society. Located at the harbor entrance just off MI 26 in Eagle Harbor. Site open, museum open daily mid June to early October. Owner/site manager: Keweenaw County Historical Society. ARLHS USA-253; USCG 7-15195.
* Eagle River: 1857 (substantially rebuilt in 1884). Inactive since 1908. 24 ft (7 m) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery mounted on 1-1/2 story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; roofs are red. Anderson has photos. The lighthouse has long been maintained as a private residence by the Vivian family. Located in the town of Eagle River, on the south side of the river; a historic bridge leads to the lighthouse. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-257.
Ontonagon Area Lighthouses
Fourteen Mile Point: 1894. Inactive since 1934. Square cylindrical brick tower attached to a 2-story brick keeper's house. Gutted by fire in 1984, the main building was left in ruins. A wood assistant keeper's house survived the fire. The brick oil house and brick fog signal building also survive. Anderson also has good photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. In the early 1990s the property was purchased by Dan Hermanson, of Keweenaw Video Media in Houghton, and two friends, and around 1997 they began some work at the site. However, Terry Pepper visited the station in summer 2004 and found the lighthouse still a rickety shell. Needless to say, this lighthouse is on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. Located in a very remote area 14 miles (22 km) northeast of Ontonagon. Practically inaccessible except by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-944.
**** Ontonagon (2): 1866 (station established 1853). Inactive since 1964. 34 ft (10 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery attached church-style to a 2-story brick keeper's house. Lighthouse unpainted; lantern and gallery painted black. Holger Durer has a great closeup photo, Anderson also has photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The Ontonagon County Historical Society conducts tours of the site and is working actively for restoration of the light station. The society's museum displays the original 5° Fresnel lens (1857, transferred from the original tower). Lighthouse Digest has an account of the restoration effort and the history of the light station. In 2003 an act of Congress transferred ownership of the light station from the Army Corps of Engineers to the Historical Society. Located just off MI 64 on the west side of the Ontonagon River entrance. Site open, lighthouse and tower open to guided tours from the museum several times daily except Sundays in season. Owner/site manager: Ontonagon County Historical Society. ARLHS USA-569.
Ontonagon Harbor West Breakwater (2): 1900 (station established 1875). Active; focal plane 31 ft (9.5 m); red flash every 4 s. 31 ft (9.5 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower with with lantern and gallery and an enclosed workroom below the lantern; 300 mm lens. Tower painted white, lantern black. A 2007 photo is available, Anderson has photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The lighthouse is very similar to the better-known pierhead lights at Grand Marais MN and Grand Marais MI. Fog horn (2 blasts every 60 s) as needed. The light was maintained by keepers from the Ontonagon Light. The first light, after being relocated three times as the pier was extended, was swept away by a storm in 1899. Located on the western side of the mouth of the Ontonagon River, off MI 64. Accessible only by boat (some sections of the breakwater are impassable on foot). Site and tower closed; distant views are available from shore. Owner/site manager: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ARLHS USA-1084; USCG 7-15225.
Isle Royale Lighthouses
Note: Isle Royale is a large island, 45 miles (72 km) long and 9 miles (14 km) wide, in the northern part of Lake Superior. The entire island is included in Isle Royale National Park, and there are no permanent residents. The island is part of the U.S. state of Michigan despite being 56 miles (90 km) north of the Keweenaw Peninsula and only 15 miles (25 km) from the Canadian shore of the lake. During the summer season the island is accessible by seaplane and by passenger ferries from Grand Portage, Minnesota; Copper Harbor, Michigan; and Houghton, Michigan.
Isle Royale (Menagerie Island): 1875. Active; focal plane 72 ft (22 m); white flash every 6 s. 61 ft (18.5 m) octagonal sandstone tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 2-story, hipped-roof sandstone keeper's house; 300 mm lens. The original 4° Fresnel lens is listed as being on loan to Isle Royale National Park, but its location is unknown. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. The keeper's house is very similar to the keeper's house at Au Sable Light. Teresa Forrest has a closeup photo, Anderson has photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located on a small waveswept, rocky island off the south coast of Isle Royale. Accessible only by boat; visible from passenger-mail boats circling the park. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Isle Royale National Park. ARLHS USA-407; USCG 7-16710.
Rock of Ages: 1908. Active; focal plane 130 ft (39.5 m); white flash every 10 s. 117 ft (35.5 m) round "bottle" style steel tower with lantern and gallery, incorporating keeper's quarters, mounted on a concrete and steel caisson; 300 mm lens (1985). The original 2° Fresnel lens is on display at the national park's Windigo Information Station. Tower painted white; lantern, gallery and watch room painted black. Michael Ducey has an excellent photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has historic photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. This lighthouse is unique, but it bears some resemblence to the 1893 Chicago Harbor Light. The tower also carries an array of weather instruments as a NOAA C-MAN station. Located off the western end of Isle Royale. Accessible only by boat. Visible from ferries to the island from Grand Portage, MN, or from Keweenaw Excursions boat tours. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Isle Royale National Park. ARLHS USA-698; USCG 7-16655.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Harwood Point East Range Front (1930-?), St. Mary's River.
Middle Lake George (1892-?), St. Mary's River
Rouleau Point Range Front and Rear (1897-?), St. Mary's River
Squaw Point (1897-1963), Little Bay de Noc opposite Gladstone. ARLHS USA-787.
St. Mary's River Lower Range Front (1887-?), St. Mary's River
Vidal Shoals Channel Range Front and Rear (1899-?), St. Mary's River
Winter Point Range Front (1892-?), Neebish Island, St. Mary's River

Notable faux lighthouses:

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