Lighthouses

Guiding Ships at the Mouth of Green Bay Standing at the end of the north pier in Menominee Harbor, the Menominee North Pier Lighthouse has welcomed sailors and guided vessels safely into port for nearly 150 years. Though modest in size compared to some of the Great Lakes’ towering lights, this bright red beacon has played an important role in maritime navigation along the western shore of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Located where the waters of Green Bay meet the harbor shared by Menominee, Michigan, and Marinette, Wisconsin, the lighthouse continues to serve as an active aid to navigation. Its distinctive… Read More »

At the northern tip of the Old Mission Peninsula, where Grand Traverse Bay stretches toward open water, Mission Point Lighthouse has stood as a quiet guide for mariners since the late nineteenth century. Located about seventeen miles north of Traverse City, the light reflects both the practical demands of navigation and the changing relationship between shoreline communities and the lake. A Beacon for Shoal Waters Constructed in 1870, Mission Point Lighthouse was built as an exact copy of the Mama Juda Light that once stood along the Detroit River. The wooden structure, painted white with black trim, features a square… Read More »

Along the northeastern shoreline of Lake Huron, the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse marks the beginning of a long tradition of navigation aids in the Presque Isle region. Built in 1840, the station served mariners for decades. Later, a newer, taller lighthouse was constructed nearby. Today, the original structure stands as a museum. As a result, it offers a glimpse into the early years of Great Lakes lighthouse history. An Early Beacon on Lake Huron Funding for the first Presque Isle lighthouse was approved by Congress in the late 1830s. This reflected the growing need to guide vessels along Michigan’s Lake… 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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

Along the busy approaches to the Soo Locks, a complex system of range lights once guided vessels through one of the most critical shipping corridors in North America. The Vidal Shoals Range Lights directly supported the growth of the St. Marys River shipping channel and the expanding importance of the canal system connecting Lake Superior to the lower Great Lakes. A Canal of National Importance Workers completed the Soo Locks in 1855, transforming transportation on the Great Lakes. By allowing ships to bypass the rapids at Sault Ste. Marie, the locks created a vital link for iron ore, timber, and… Read More »

The lighthouse at the end of Marquette’s harbor breakwater reflects a long history of change along one of Lake Superior’s most important ore shipping ports. Though modest in size today, the light represents decades of engineering work, maritime growth, and the constant challenge of protecting vessels in exposed waters. Early Harbor Improvements Marquette Harbor first gained a lighthouse on the nearby point in 1853, serving ships involved in the growing iron ore trade. At the time, the harbor offered little natural protection. Storms sweeping in from the north and east could make docking difficult and dangerous. To improve conditions, work… Read More »

Along the shoreline near Empire, a small but meaningful lighthouse stands as a tribute to one man’s love of Lake Michigan. Known as the Manning Memorial Lighthouse, this modern beacon reflects a personal story rather than the large-scale shipping needs that shaped most Great Lakes lights. A Fisherman’s Wish Robert H. Manning was born in 1927 and spent his life in the Empire area. He worked in insurance and later served as a civilian supply worker at the nearby Empire Air Force Station. In his spare time, he found peace on the water, often fishing offshore in Lake Michigan. Returning… Read More »