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At the harbor of St. Ignace, a modern lighthouse now stands where railroad ferries once crossed the Straits of Mackinac. Known as Wawatam Lighthouse, this distinctive steel tower reflects a rare story in Great Lakes maritime history, one shaped by preservation, adaptation, and community vision. From Roadside Landmark to Harbor Light The structure that would become Wawatam Lighthouse was not originally intended for maritime use. It was first constructed in 1998 by the Michigan Department of Transportation as a decorative landmark at a welcome center along Interstate 75 near Monroe. Designed to celebrate the state’s lighthouse heritage, the tower served… Read More »

Standing at the edge of Lake Superior’s rugged shoreline, Marquette Harbor Light has long served as a vital beacon for vessels navigating the busy ore shipping routes of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Over more than a century and a half, the lighthouse has evolved through storms, technological change, and shifting maritime needs while remaining an active aid to navigation. Establishing a Harbor Light As iron ore mining expanded in the mid-nineteenth century, the need for safe navigation into Marquette Harbor became increasingly clear. Congress appropriated funds for a lighthouse in 1850, and construction began two years later. The light was first… Read More »

Deep in the forests of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula sits one of the most remarkable natural wonders in the Great Lakes region. Crystal clear water rises endlessly from the earth below. Ancient tree trunks rest at the bottom like forgotten relics. Sand quietly shifts beneath the surface as thousands of gallons of water surge upward every minute. Today, visitors know it as Kitch-iti-Kipi, the “Big Spring.” For generations, however, this place was far more than a tourist attraction. Long before roads, observation rafts, and state park signs appeared, the Spring was already part of the homeland and traditions of the Anishinaabe… Read More »

Standing along the Lake Michigan shoreline west of Mackinaw City, McGulpin Point Lighthouse reflects an early chapter in the effort to guide vessels through the often-challenging waters of the Straits of Mackinac. First illuminated in 1869, the light served mariners during a period when safe passage through the Straits was becoming increasingly important to Great Lakes commerce. A Light for the Straits Constructed by the United States Lighthouse Board at a cost of twenty thousand dollars, McGulpin Point Light was designed as a combined tower and keeper’s dwelling. The one and a half story brick residence supported a cylindrical tower…. Read More »

Along the rugged shoreline of the Keweenaw Peninsula, the Mendota Lighthouse stands as a reminder of both ambition and adaptation in Great Lakes navigation. Also known as the Bete Grise Light, it was originally built to support travel between Lake Superior and Lac La Belle, an inland lake connected by a constructed canal. An Early Navigation Experiment Plans for the lighthouse were first developed in 1867, at a time when improving inland water routes was seen as a way to strengthen regional commerce. The light was constructed in 1869 near the canal entrance, intended to guide vessels between the lake… Read More »

Rising above the forests and shoreline of northeastern Lake Huron, the New Presque Isle Lighthouse has long guided vessels along one of the busiest stretches of Michigan’s maritime routes. Built on the Presque Isle peninsula east of Grand Lake, the tower reflects both the evolving demands of Great Lakes navigation and the ingenuity of nineteenth century engineering. Replacing an Earlier Light By the late nineteenth century, shoreline changes and the limitations of the original Presque Isle lighthouse made a replacement necessary. Plans for a new tower were prepared by Major Orlando Metcalfe Poe of the United States Army Corps of… Read More »

At the remote tip of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, Manitou Island rises from the waters of Lake Superior. Here, the Manitou Island Light Station has guided vessels for more than a century and a half. It stands as one of the oldest surviving iron skeletal lighthouse towers on the Great Lakes. A Strategic Light on Lake Superior Workers constructed the first lighthouse on Manitou Island as a rubble stone tower in 1850. Its placement reflected the growing need to guide vessels navigating the northern reaches of Lake Superior. In this area, rocky shorelines and sudden storms made travel uncertain. In 1861,… Read More »