Lighthouses of the U.S.: Michigan's Eastern 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 page includes lighthouses of the north shores of Lakes Huron and Michigan, the St. Mary's River waterway, and Lake Superior from Sault Sainte Marie through Alger County (the Munising area). There's a separate page for Western Upper Peninsula lighthouses.

The state's 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.

Alger County Lighthouses

Munising Area Lighthouses
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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. 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. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-329; USCG 7-14570.
* Munising Range Rear: 1908. Active; focal plane 107 ft (32.5 m); continuous red light. 33 ft (10 m) round steel tower; red acrylic lens. Entire lighthouse painted white. Brian Burch has a good photo, Bash has another good photo, and Anderson also has a photo. Located on a hillside at the south end of Hemlock Street in Munising. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. ARLHS USA-949; USCG 7-14580.
Grand Marais Area Lighthouses

Luce County Lighthouse

** 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. James Phelps's 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, the Coast Guard has a historic photo showing the keeper's house, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. 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. In 2009 a replica of the original fog signal building was built as a visitor center for the station, and a 4th order 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.

Chippewa County Lighthouses

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. The original 4th order Fresnel lens is at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. The original keeper's house (1870), used as assistant keeper's quarters after 1902, is also preserved. Volunteer caretakers live on site year round. A good photo of the station is available, Anderson has photos, the national forest has a text page on the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The light station is a museum, restored through efforts of the Bay Mills/Brimley Historical Research Society. The 4th order Fresnel lens from Martin Reef Light (see below) is on display. The light was replaced by several buoys offshore. 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.
Upper St. Marys River (Sault Sainte Marie Area) 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.
* 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. Google has a satellite view. The range guides vessels entering the river from Lake Superior. 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. 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.
[St. Mary's River Upper Range Front]: 1887. Inactive. The foundation of this former lighthouse is reported to be visible. Soo Locks Boat Tours has a lighthouse cruise for which this is one of the sights listed. No other information available. This was a westbound range for vessels leaving the Soo Locks. Located in the river somewhere between Birch Point and Round Island Point. Site status and site manager unknown. ARLHS USA-803.
[St. Mary's River Upper Range Rear (Birch Point)]: 1887. Inactive. The lighthouse, a 30 ft (9 m) square pyramidal wood tower, has been demolished. The 2-story wood Victorian keeper's house survives and is in use as a private residence. Soo Locks Boat Tours has a lighthouse cruise for which this is one of the sights listed. No photo available. Site closed; the house can only be seen from the water. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-804.
Brush Point Range Rear: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 66 ft (20 m); continuous red light. 57 ft (18 m) square skeletal tower with gallery. No photo available, but Google has a fuzzy satellite view. This is an eastbound range; the front light is on a short skeletal tower on an island in the river. Located on the river bank about 1/2 mi (800 m) south of Brush Point. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-14395.
Upper Nicolet Range Rear: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 82 ft (25 m); continuous white light. Approx. 70 ft (21 m) square steel skeletal tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This westbound range guides vessels leaving Lake Nicolet. Located in a heavily forested area of northwestern Sugar Island. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-13960.
Frechette Point (Range Rear): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 90 ft (27 m); continuous green light. 87 ft (26 m) square steel skeletal tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This westbound range has assumed the function of the former Little Cut Range. Located on the southern point of an island across from Riverside Drive just north of East Three Mile Road. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-14020.
* Six Mile Point Range Rear (2): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 65 ft (20 m); white light; 3 s on, 3 s off. 65 ft (20 m) square cylindrical steel skeletal tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This is an eastbound range for vessels after they make the turn at the Bayfield Rock Rear Light. (In this section, the waterway is entirely in the U.S., between the mainland and Sugar Island.) The original lighthouse was saved and is on display at the Les Cheneaux Historical Maritime Museum in Cedarville (see below). Located just off the mainland shore of the waterway at the end of East Five Mile Road. Accessible only by boat, but there are closeup views from shore. Site open, tower closed. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-14050.
* Sugar Island (Leading Light): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 50 ft (15 m); white light; 3 s on, 3 s off. 49 ft (15 m) square cylindrical steel skeletal tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the west side of Sugar Island about 1.5 mi (2.5 km) north of the head of Lake Nicolet. The site appears to be accessible. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-14040.
Lower St. Mary's River Lighthouses
West Neebish Upper Range Rear: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 80 ft (24 m); continuous white light. 80 ft (24 m) square cylindrical steel skeletal tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. The range guides eastbound vessels on the approach to Neebish Island. Located at the water's edge at the northwestern tip of Neebish Island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-13475.
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, in the nortern end of Lake Munuscong. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-709; USCG 7-12940.
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 and at the southern end of Lake Munuscong. 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.
Lake Huron Lighthouses

Mackinac County Lighthouses

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 (1): Date unknown (around 1930?). Inactive. Tapered round cylindrical cast iron (?) tower, painted white. Dan Weemhoff has an excellent photo, and Google has a satellite view. 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 Museum in Cedarville. Located on MI 134 at Lake Street, a short distance east of MI 129 in Cedarville. Site open year round, museum open daily during the summer, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Les Cheneaux Historical Museum . ARLHS USA-1091.
Bois Blanc Island (1): 1867 (station established 1829). Inactive since 1924. 38 ft (11.5 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached church-style to a 2-story brick keeper's house. Lighthouse is unpainted brick with yellow trim, lantern painted white. The active light (focal plane 32 ft (10 m); white flash every 2.5 s) is on a 17 ft (5 m) white cylindrical "D9" tower nearby. Second oldest light station in Michigan. The lighthouse is a private summer residence, well cared for by its owners. Anderson has good photos, and a nice 2004 photo is available. The Coast Guard's historic aerial photo also shows the second light, a skeletal tower. Located at the end of a long peninsula on the north side of Bois Blanc (pronounced "bob-lo") Island. The island is accessible May through November by ferry from Cheboygan on the Lower Peninsula, but the best way to see the lighthouse is on lighthouse cruises from Mackinaw City. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-068; USCG 7-12535.
Northshore Lake Michigan Lighthouses

Schoolcraft County (Manistique Area) Lighthouses

**** Seul Choix Point: 1892. Active; focal plane 80 ft (24.5 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 78 ft (24 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 2-story brick keeper's house; rotating DCB-24 aerobeacon (1972). Tower painted white with black trim and gallery; lantern roof is red. Original brick fog signal building, assistant keeper's house, two oil houses and other buildings: a complete light station. Heidi Raatz's photo is at right, Bash has a good photo, Anderson also has fine photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Coast Guard has a historic photo of the station, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was the last designed by O.M. Poe; it was built 20 years later than his other towers such as Au Sable Light (see above). The light station is a museum, fully restored and operated by the Gulliver Historical Society. Original fog horns are on display. Note: the name is pronounced "Sis-shwa." Located on a prominent cape at the end of county road 431 about 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Gulliver. Site and tower open daily in the summer. Owner: Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Site manager: Seul Choix Point Lighthouse Park and Museums. ARLHS USA-749; USCG 7-21490.
Manistique (East Breakwater): 1915. Active; focal plane 50 ft (15 m); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 35 ft (11 m) square pyramidal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery; 300 mm lens. The original 4th order Fresnel lens is on display at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc. Tower painted bright red, lantern and gallery black. The 2-1/2 story keeper's house is in use as a private residence. Anderson also has good photos, Rein Nomm has a closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the entrance to the Manistique River just off US 2 in Manistique. In 2000 the Corps of Engineers replaced the concrete breakwater with rip rap, cutting off public access to the lighthouse, but in recent years access has been restored. Views from Lakeview Park just off US 2. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ARLHS USA-469; USCG 7-21475.

Seul Choix Light, August 2009
Creative Commons photo by Heidi Raatz

Delta County (Escanaba Area) Lighthouses

Green Bay Entrance 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.
Poverty Island: 1874. Inactive since 1976. 60 ft (18 m) brick tower, painted white, attached to a 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. The lantern was removed in 1976 and abandoned on the beach; in 1989 it was salvaged, restored, and installed at Sand Point Light in Escanaba. 300 mm lens (1982) mounted on top of capped tower. The brick assistant keeper's house has recently collapsed in ruins. Corrugated steel fog signal building (1885) and oil house (1894). Anderson has a photo, the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the complete station, and Google has an indistinct satellite view of the station. The surviving buildings are gravely endangered by lack of maintenance, and the station is on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. This fine brick lighthouse, a sibling of the Sturgeon Point Light, deserves much better attention. Located on an island about 8 miles (13 km) south of Fairport. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ARLHS USA-665.
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; the original 4th Fresnel lens on display at Point Iroquois Light (see above). Tower is white, lantern painted black. The original 2-1/2 story brick keeper's house is occupied in season by a caretaker. Brick fog signal building. Anderson has a good photo, the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the station, and Google has a good satellite view 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.
Little Bay de Noc Lighthouses
* 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, the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the light station, and Google has a satellite view. 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 4th order 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.

Menominee County Lighthouses

[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. 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 4th order Fresnel lens transferred to Sand Point Light, Escanaba, in 1989. Tower painted red with a black lantern; concrete base is white. Heidi Blanton's photo is at right, Anderson has excellent photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, as well as an older photo of the station in its original form, and Google has a satellite view. 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. Pepper has a photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. 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.

Menominee North Pierhead Light, August 2007
Creative Commons photo by Heidi Blanton

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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