Eastern Upper Peninsula

Along the western shore of Lake Nicolet, a quiet pair of navigation lights tells the story of one of the Great Lakes’ most important shipping corridors. These are known as the Six Mile Point Range Lights. They were established to guide vessels through the Neebish Channel. This channel is a critical link in the route between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. A River of Growing Importance When the Soo Locks were completed in 1855, they transformed navigation on the St. Marys River. Ships could now bypass the powerful rapids near Lake Superior’s outlet. As a result, this opened… Read More »

Standing in the waters of the Straits of Mackinac, the Round Island Passage Light marks one of the most important navigation routes connecting Lakes Michigan and Huron. Though built later than many of Michigan’s historic beacons, it represents a period when modern technology and changing maritime needs reshaped lighthouse construction on the Great Lakes. A Channel of Constant Movement The Round Island Channel has long served as a key passage for vessels traveling through the Straits. As shipping traffic increased during the late nineteenth century, the need for reliable navigation aids became clear. Constructed in 1895 on nearby Round Island… Read More »

A Private Lighthouse on the St. Marys River Round Island Light sits quietly on Round Island in the St. Marys River, just about a mile from the Ontario border. While many Michigan lighthouses are open to the public or managed by preservation groups, this one tells a different story. It tells a story of river traffic, changing technology, and a remarkable private restoration that gave new life to a long-darkened light. Guiding Ships Between Two Great Lakes The St. Marys River serves as the vital connection between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. After the Soo Locks opened in 1855, ship… Read More »

The Schoolhouse Lighthouse of the Straits of Mackinac Perched on the west shore of Round Island, the Round Island Light—also known as the Old Round Island Point Lighthouse—stands watch over one of the busiest and most treacherous waterways in the Great Lakes. Located directly in the shipping lanes of the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet, this lighthouse has long played a critical role. It guides vessels safely through the narrow passage. With ferries passing nearby on their way to and from Mackinac Island, the light remains a familiar and beloved landmark of Northern Michigan. A… Read More »

Guardian of the St. Marys River Point Iroquois Light sits high on a bluff in Chippewa County, quietly watching over one of the most important waterways in the Great Lakes. It marks the division between Whitefish Bay and the western end of the St. Marys River. For more than a century, this lighthouse has guided vessels traveling between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. Today, its story blends Native history, early European exploration, and the evolution of Great Lakes navigation. A Place Steeped in Early History Point Iroquois refers not only to the lighthouse but also to a broader… Read More »

A Quiet Guardian at the Gateway to the St. Marys River Tucked into the busy shipping corridor of the St. Marys River, Pipe Island Light has quietly guided freighters and vessels for well over a century. While rarely seen by the public and now privately owned, this modest lighthouse played a crucial role in safely ushering ships between Lake Huron and the river’s narrow DeTour Passage. Its story is one of careful engineering, dedicated keepers, family sacrifice, and maritime history unfolding just offshore. Location and Early Need for a Lighthouse Pipe Island—also historically known as Round Island because of its… Read More »

Guiding Ships Through the Shallows of Northern Lake Huron If you’ve ever explored the waters near the Straits of Mackinac or gazed out toward the Les Cheneaux Islands, you know Northern Lake Huron is both stunning and unpredictable. Hidden just below the surface are shallow reefs that have challenged Great Lakes mariners for over a century. One of the most notorious is Martin Reef—just inches deep in places. That reef is the reason the Martin Reef Light Station came to be. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005, this remote white sentinel has helped guide ships safely… Read More »

A Beacon in the DeTour Passage Just offshore from DeTour Village, in the waters where Lake Huron meets the St. Marys River, sits a tiny scrap of land known as Frying Pan Island. Barely more than a rocky bump in the channel, this island has played a surprisingly big role in the maritime history of Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula. Legend has it that Captain William Thorn, the first mariner to navigate the St. Marys River into Lake Superior, was once stranded here waiting out rough winds. When he came ashore, he found a cast-iron frying pan left behind by Native… Read More »

A Key Michigan Lighthouse The DeTour Passage is a vital route to Lake Superior from Lake Huron. Sitting three miles south of DeTour Village, Michigan, the DeTour Reef Light marks this important shipping channel. Nearly all freighters traveling to and from Lake Superior pass through this passage, along with countless recreational boats carefully navigating the shallow DeTour Reef. Early History: From Point DeTour to Offshore Reef The first lighthouse at Point DeTour was built in 1847. It protected mariners from the hazards of the passage. By 1931, the lighthouse was moved offshore atop DeTour Reef on a crib foundation. Constructed… Read More »

Bridging Nations Some landmarks do not just connect places, they connect people, histories, and entire nations. One such landmark opened to traffic on October 31, 1962: the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, linking Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Spanning the St. Marys River, this bridge is more than steel and concrete. It is the only vehicular crossing between Michigan and Ontario for nearly 300 miles. The bridge serves as the northern terminus of Interstate 75 (I-75). In fact, it remains the tenth, busiest passenger crossing on the Canada–U.S. border, making it a vital connection between the… Read More »

Carving Out Michigan’s North On October 26, 1818, Michigan’s map looked very different than it does today. Territorial governor Lewis Cass proclaimed the creation of Michilimackinac County. This was a massive jurisdiction that originally stretched across nearly the entire Upper Peninsula and the northern reaches of the Lower Peninsula. At the time, the Michigan Territory was still young, and leaders were busy shaping its counties out of enormous wilderness tracts. Michilimackinac County was one of the first counties in the territory and reflected the region’s historical importance. Long before its official creation, the Straits of Mackinac area had been a… Read More »

⚡ Powering the Soo When people think of great hydroelectric plants, Niagara often comes to mind. But on this day in history, the spotlight was on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where Francis Clergue unveiled a hydroelectric marvel in Sault Ste. Marie. After four years of construction, the Soo Hydropower Plant was ready to light up the region—and Clergue made sure it opened with a bang. Clergue spared no expense in celebrating his achievement. Spending over $50,000 (a staggering amount at the time) on fireworks, bands, parades, and food, he turned the opening into a spectacle. Invitations went out to state officials,… Read More »