Lighthouses of the United States: Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula

General Sources

Seeing the Lights: The Lighthouses of Michigan A wonderful site by Terry Pepper, with fine photos, accounts of recent visits to many of the lighthouses, and extensive historical information. Michigan Lighthouses Excellent photos and information posted by Kraig Anderson. Lighthouses of the Great Lakes Maintained by Neil Schultheiss, this very fine site has excellent photos and accounts for most of the state's lighthouses. Lighthouses in Michigan, United States Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com. Lake Superior Lighthouses Photos by C.W. Bash. Lighthouses in Michigan Photos available from Wikimedia. Coast Guard Lighthouses - Michigan Historic photos and notes, posted by the U.S. Coast Guard Historian's office. Leuchttürme USA auf historischen Postkarten Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse. National Maritime Inventory - Michigan National Park Service inventory of Michigan lighthouse data. Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association GLLKA encourages lighthouse preservation throughout the Great Lakes states, but it is best known for its work preserving the Round Island and St. Helena Island Lights in the Straits of Mackinac area.

Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light, August 2011 Flickr Creative Commons photo copyright C.M. Hanchey

Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy

This organization is dedicated to the preservation of lighthouses and life saving stations throughout the state.

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.

Ontonagon County Lighthouses

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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is very similar to the better-known pierhead lights at Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Grand Marais, Michigan. 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. **** 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. C.M. Hanchey's 2011 photo is at right, Holger Durer has a great closeup photo, Anderson also has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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 5th order 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. 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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. 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 Light, August 2011 Flickr Creative Commons photo by C.M. Hanchey

Keweenaw County: 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.

* Passage Island

1882. Active; focal plane 78 ft (24 m); white flash every 5 s. 44 ft (13.5 m) octagonal cylindrical fieldstone tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 1-1/2 story "Norman Gothic" fieldstone keeper's house; 190 mm lens (1989). Lighthouse unpainted; lantern and gallery painted white, lantern roof red. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) as needed. The 4th order Fresnel lens (1897) is on display in the lobby of the Portage River Coast Guard Station in Dollar Bay. The tower also carries an array of weather instruments as a NOAA C-MAN station. Carl TerHaar has a fine closeup photo, Anderson has photos, Bash has a good photo, Paul Huber has a photo, Lighthouse Digest has an October 2001 feature on the history of the light station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. Sibling of Sand Island Light, Wisconsin. This is a complete and well preserved light station, including the original corrugated metal fog signal building, boathouse, and other buildings. Located on a rocky island about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Blake Point, the northeastern end of Isle Royale. Accessible only by boat. Guided tours from Rock Harbor are available in season. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Isle Royale National Park. ARLHS USA-583; USCG 7-16835.

** Rock Harbor 1855. Inactive since 1879. 50 ft (15 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 1-1/2 story rubblestone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is black with a red roof. Michael Ducey has a photo, Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This long-abandoned lighthouse was in very poor condition when the National Park Service began restoration in 1962. The building now houses a small maritime museum. Located on the northeastern coast of Isle Royale, marking the entrance to the well-sheltered Rock Harbor. Accessible by a short hike from the boat landing. Site open (self-guided tour), tower open in season. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Isle Royale National Park. ARLHS USA-696. 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 4th order Fresnel lens is listed as being on loan to Isle Royale National Park, but we do not know its location. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. The keeper's house is very similar to the keeper's house at Au Sable Light. Bash's photo is at right, Teresa Forrest has a closeup photo, Anderson has photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos, but the lighthouse is not seen in Google's fuzzy satellite view. 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 2nd order Fresnel lens is on display at the national park's Windigo Information Station. Tower painted white; lantern, gallery and watch room painted black. The tower also carries an array of weather instruments as a NOAA C-MAN station. Michael Ducey has an excellent photo, Anderson has photos, Bash has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Huelse has a historic postcard view, but the lighthouse is not seen in Google's satellite view. This lighthouse is unique, but it bears some resemblence to the 1893 Chicago Harbor Light. Located off the western end of Isle Royale. Accessible only by boat. Visible from ferries to the island from Grand Portage, Minnesota, 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.

Isle Royale (Menagerie Island) Light, July 2004 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by C.W. Bash

Keweenaw Peninsula Lighthouses
Note: Shaped rather like a bird's wing, the Keweenaw Peninsula (pronounced key-win-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. The lower half of the peninsula is in Houghton County and the upper half is in Keweenaw County.

Northern Houghton County Lighthouse

Keweenaw Waterway Upper Entrance (2)

1950 (station established 1874). Active; focal plane 82 ft (25 m); white flash every 15 s. 21 m (70 ft) round cylindrical steel tower, painted white, mounted on 1-story concrete fog signal building, built on a crib. No lantern. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) as needed. Bash has a closeup photo, Anderson also has good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the light station, which was originally located onshore. Located just off the end of the breakwater on the east side of the Portage River upper entrance. There are good views from the adjacent McLain State Park, off MI 203 about 8 miles (13 km) north of Hancock. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-419; USCG 15120.

Keweenaw County Lighthouses

**** Sand Hills 1919. Inactive since 1954. 91 ft (28 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery rising from 2-story brick keeper's house. The original 4th order Fresnel lens is on display at the Great Lakes Maritime Institute in Detroit, but a similar 4th order Fresnel lens is on display in the lighthouse. Lighthouse is unpainted salmon-colored brick; lantern painted black. Original stucco fog signal building. A photo is at right, Anderson has good photos, a 2007 photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. This substantial and handsome lighthouse was one of the last major lighthouses built on the Great Lakes. The lighthouse was sold into private hands in 1958, and in 1961 the station was purchased by Bill Frabotta, who renovated the fog signal building as a summer home, leaving the lighthouse itself vacant. The renovation of the lighthouse into a bed and breakfast inn began in 1992, and the inn opened in 1995. In 2001 the fog signal building was restored to its original configuration. Located at Five Mile Point, 5 miles (8 km) west of Eagle River. Site and tower open. Owner/site manager: Sand Hills Lighthouse Inn. ARLHS USA-721. * 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, Bash has a good photo, Wikipedia has an article with a small photo, and Google has a distant satellite view. The lighthouse was built on a poor foundation; it had to be renovated and partially rebuilt in 1884. The lighthouse has long been maintained as a private residence by the Vivian family. Located in the town of Eagle River, on the west side of the river; a historic bridge leads to the lighthouse. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-257.

Sand Hills Light, September 2004 anonymous Flickr Creative Commons photo

*** 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. Larry Myhre's photo is at the top of this page, B. Givens has a great photo, Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. The light station is a maritime museum. In 1999 Congress deeded the station to the county 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 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, Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the station, and Google has a distant satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated to the north 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.

* Copper Harbor Range Rear (1)

1869. Inactive since 1964. 11 m (36 ft) square wood cupola on a 1-1/2 story stone and wood keeper's house. Wood upper portion painted white; roof is dark red. Beautifully restored, the building is the residence of the assistant superintendent of Fort Wilkins State Historic Park. Bash has a great photo, Anderson also has good photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located in the state park near the end of US 41 east of the town of Copper Harbor. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Michigan Historical Museum System. Site manager: Copper Harbor Lighthouse Complex. ARLHS USA-1074.

* Copper Harbor Range Rear (2) 1964 (station established 1869). Active; focal plane 41 ft (12.5 m); continuous white light. 32 ft (10 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower. Anderson has photos showing both modern range lights. Located in front of the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Michigan Historical Museum System. Site manager: Copper Harbor Lighthouse Complex. USCG 7-15190. ** Copper Harbor (2) 1866 (station established 1848). Inactive since 1933. 62 ft (19 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery attached church-style to 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern and gallery painted black; roofs are red. The 1-story rubblestone keeper's house from the original lighthouse (1848) is also preserved. The original 5th order Fresnel lens is on display on site. Stephanie Davidson's photo is at right, Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The light station has been a maritime museum attached to Fort Wilkins State Historic Park since 1963. Located at the eastern entrance to the harbor, on the mainland but inaccessible by land (no public road). The station is accessible by boat; passenger ferry and tours are available in season from Copper Harbor Marina. Site open, museum open in season, tower closed. Owner: Michigan Historical Museum System. Site manager: Fort Wilkins and Copper Harbor Lighthouse. ARLHS USA-193. * Copper Harbor (3) 1933 (station established 1848). Active; focal plane 90 ft (27.5 m); green flash every 6 s. 62 ft (19 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower, painted white. Pepper has a photo. Located adjacent to the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. USCG 7-15175.

Copper Harbor Light, August 2009 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Stephanie Davidson

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 4th order Fresnel lens is said to be on display at Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point (see Eastern Upper Peninsula), 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, was in ruins. Lighthouse Digest has an April 2002 feature story on the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Anderson also has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. 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, Anderson also has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the complete station, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Sibling of Whitefish Point Light (see Eastern Upper Peninsula). 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.

Mendota (Bete Grise) (2)

1895 (station established 1869). Reactivated (inactive 1956-1998, now privately maintained); focal plane 44 ft (13 m); white flash every 20 s. 37 ft (11 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery rising from 2-story brick keeper's house. The original 4th order Fresnel lens was restored to use in 1998. Lighthouse painted white with black trim; lantern is black, lantern roof red. Anderson has photos, Bash has a photo, another photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view of the station. The light station was established in 1869 but discontinued the following year. The lighthouse has been restored by its owner, Gary Kohs, and local volunteers. Located on the south side of the Mendota Ship Channel (the entrance to Lac La Belle) on the south side of Bete Grise. Views from the end of Bete Grise Road on the opposite side of the channel. Site and tower open with owner's permission. Owner/site manager: Mendota Light Station. ARLHS USA-489; USCG 7-15151.

Eastern Houghton County Lighthouses

* Jacobsville (Portage River) (2) 1870 (station established 1856). Inactive since 1900. 45 ft (13.5 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery attached to 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery red. C.M. Hanchey's photo is at right, Larry Myhre has a good photo, Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is a private residence, very well maintained. In 2004, the light station was sold; the new owners opened it as a bed and breakfast inn in April 2005. Located at the end of Jacobs Street, east of the waterway entrance in Jacobsville. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Jacobsville Lighthouse Inn. ARLHS USA-658. * Keweenaw Waterway (Portage Lake) Lower Entrance (2) 1920 (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 68 ft (21 m); white light occulting every 4 s. 62 ft (19 m) octagonal cylindrical steel tower with lantern and gallery on a square concrete base incorporating fog signal. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black, lantern roof red. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) as needed. No keeper's quarters; the light has always been automated. C.M. Hanchey's photo is at the top of this page, Scott Tanis has a good photo, Anderson has excellent photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater on the east side of the Portage River (and Keweenaw Waterway) entrance in Jacobsville. Accessible in good weather by walking the pier. Good views from city park. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-418.

Jacobsville (Portage River) Light, August 2011 Creative Commons photo by C.M. Hanchey

Baraga County 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 Eastern Upper Peninsula). 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.

* Indian Country Sports (L'Anse)

1995. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 44 ft (13.5 m); white flash every 2.5 s. Approx. 43 ft (13 m) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery rising from one corner of a 1-1/2 story sporting goods store; ML-155 (150 mm) lens. Tower painted white; lantern is wood with a light brown stain. Phil Block has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was built by Steve Koski, owner of Indian Country Sports; Koski is an active member of the Huron Island Lighthouse Preservation Association. Located at 17 South Front Street on the corner of Baraga Avenue in downtown L'Anse. Site open, store open daily except Sunday. Owner/site manager: Indian Country Sports. ARLHS USA-1154; USCG 7-14763.

Marquette County Lighthouses

Huron Island 1868. Active; focal plane 197 ft (60 m); white flash every 10 s. 39 ft (12 m) square cylindrical granite tower with lantern and gallery attached church-style to 1-1/2 story granite keeper's house; solar-powered light (1961). Lighthouse unpainted stone; lantern painted white with a black roof. Brick fog signal building (1881). Anderson has aerial photos, Marinas.com also has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The Huron Island Lighthouse Preservation Association (formed in 1999) is working for preservation of the light station. Critically needed roof repairs have been completed. Located atop West Huron Island (Lighthouse Island), a small but high rocky island 6 miles (10 km) east of Point Abbaye, off the Huron Mountains. The island is part of the Huron Islands Wilderness. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Huron Islands National Wildlife Refuge). Site manager: Huron Island Lighthouse Preservation Association. ARLHS USA-395; USCG 7-14730. ** Big Bay Point 1896. Reactivated (inactive 1961-1990); focal plane 89 ft (27 m); white flash every 6 s. 65 ft (20 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery attached church-style to 2-story brick keeper's house. The original 3rd order Fresnel lens, formerly displayed in the fog signal building, is now on loan to the Marquette Maritime Museum in Marquette. Lighthouse is unpainted red brick; lantern, gallery and watch room painted white, lantern roof red. Larry Myhre's photo is at right, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic aerial photo, and Google has a satellite view. The building is now open as a bed and breakfast inn. Located at the end of Lighthouse Road about 3.5 miles (5.5 km) east of the village of Big Bay. Site open, inn open year round, guided tours available Sunday and Wednesday afternoons June through September. Owner/site manager: Big Bay Point Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast. ARLHS USA-053; USCG 7-14705. 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 2nd order 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, Wikipedia has a long article on the station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo, but the reef is only a blur in Google's satellite view. Stannard Rock is named for its discoverer, Capt. Charles Stannard, who found the shoal in 1835. This is 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 Point Light, October 2004 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Larry Myhre

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.

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, but the island does not even appear in Google's satellite view. 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.

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, 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. Walking the pier is possible in good weather, but not recommended. There are 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. ** Marquette Harbor (2) 1866 (station established 1853). Active; focal plane 77 ft (23.5 m); white flash every 10 s. 40 ft (12 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery attached church-style to a 2-1/2 story brick keeper's house. A DCB-24 aerobeacon from this lighthouse on display at the Marquette Maritime Museum. The original 4th order Fresnel lens was transferred to the Breakwater Outer Light (previous entry) in 1908 and is now also on display at the museum. Lighthouse painted bright red; lantern and gallery painted white with a red roof. The second story of the building was added in 1906. Fog signal building (1881) connected to the lighthouse by a long catwalk. C.M. Hanchey's photo is at right, Darrell Harden has a good photo, Anderson has photos, Lighthouse Digest has featured the history of the light station, Bill Britten has excellent photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. This was an active Coast Guard station until 2002; the Coast Guard then leased the lighthouse to the museum, which is offering guided tours during the summer season. In 2003 the first floor was restored with the help of high school shop students, and in 2005 a $40,000 state grant funded restoration of the exterior. Located on Lighthouse Point on the north side of Marquette Harbor. Good views from harbor boat tours. Site open to guided tours from the museum, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Marquette Maritime Museum. ARLHS USA-477; USCG 7-14630. [Marquette Breakwater Outer (2)] 1908 (station established 1875). The original light, 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 4th order 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.

Marquette Harbor Light, August 2011 Flickr Creative Commons photo by C.M. Hanchey

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Eastern Upper Peninsula | West: Northern Wisconsin

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index

Posted May 2005. Checked and revised February 4, 2012. Lighthouses: 30. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.