Lighthouses of the North: Six Historic Buildings to Explore

These lighthouses are still lighting the way...if only to visitors

By Al Parker | July 13, 2024

Michigan's historic lighthouses played an important role in the Great Lakes shipping and lumber industries—in fact, we have 129 lighthouses around the Mitten, more than any other state. 

Many of these architectural gems date back almost two centuries and are still standing today for visitors to explore. Follow the light to these six lighthouses in northern Michigan. (And for true lighthouse buffs, check out the upcoming Michigan Lighthouse Festival, Aug. 2-4, at Big Red Lighthouse in Holland, Michigan.) 

Mission Point Lighthouse

Find It: Drive out Old Mission Peninsula north on M-37. You’ll pass orchards and vineyards before you reach the tip of the peninsula where the lighthouse stands.

Maritime History: In the 1860s, a ship sank in front of where the lighthouse now sits. Congress reacted by setting aside $6,000 for the construction of the Mission Point Lighthouse. But the Civil War stalled the project, which finally was completed and first lit on Sept. 10, 1870.  

The lighthouse consisted of six rooms on the ground floor and a bedroom and supply room on the second floor. Above the second floor is a room in the tower just big enough for the light mechanism. Like many lighthouses, whale oil, and later kerosene, was used to light the fifth order Fresnel lens that refracted and magnified its modest light source to an intense beam that could be seen up to 13 miles away.  

In 1933 the lighthouse was decommissioned and later replaced by an automatic buoy light offshore. From 1933 to 1948 the lighthouse sat empty and was vandalized. Then peninsula residents raised just under $1,900 to buy the lighthouse and adjacent grounds. From then until 2008, several caretakers lived in the lighthouse, which is on the National and State Historic Register. Today it is maintained by the nonprofit Mission Point Lighthouse Keepers’ Association and local volunteers.

Worth the Trip: Guests are invited to enjoy self-guided tours through the lighthouse for a small fee, to visit the gift shop, to peek into the adjacent Hessler Log Cabin, and to explore the trails that run through and around the park. 

Did You Know: Mission Point Lighthouse is one of only 39 state lighthouses open to the public on a regular schedule. Early this year a new boardwalk and steps were installed to give visitors easy access to the beach.

Point Betsie Lighthouse

Find It: Head to 3701 Point Betsie Road, south of Sleeping Bear Dunes and north of downtown Frankfort.

Maritime History: Construction began in 1854 and was completed in 1858, with service starting for the 1859 shipping season. The lighthouse cost $5,000 to build and was on the site of one of the earliest Life-Saving Stations, built in 1875 at a cost of $3,000. 

Point Betsie Lighthouse was built with Cream City Bricks and the plans called for a light 37 feet high. Five concentric brick rings encircle the tower beneath the lantern, each successively larger in diameter than the lower ring, forming a support for the gallery on which a cast iron lantern was installed. In 1900, the tower and dwelling were painted white, the roof and parapet painted red. 

Point Betsie was the last lighthouse on Lake Michigan to be completely automated in 1983.

Worth the Trip: Tour the 1858 lighthouse keeper’s residence ($5 adults; $2 children ages 6-11, free for ages 5 and under) and climb the 34-step tower with its views up and down the shoreline. In the Boathouse Museum, learn about rescues on Lake Michigan. You’ll see the Fog Signal Building, where the distinctive wail and sound pattern of the fog horn would tell sailors where they were, not just how close to shore.

Did You Know: You can stay in comfort by renting the Keeper's Quarters of the lighthouse. It was professionally refurbished and redecorated in 2020 with new furniture, artwork, kitchen cabinets, countertops and other features. It sleeps six. 

Grand Traverse Lighthouse

Find It: It’s inside the Leelanau State Park at the tip of Leelanau County. The address is 15500 N. Lighthouse Point Road in Northport. 

Maritime History: In 1850, Congress earmarked $4,000 for construction, which began in spring of 1852 and completed later that year. The lighthouse was a squat stone tower with a nearby residence for the keeper. In 1858, the tower and dwelling were demolished and a new structure was built on higher ground. This version was much nicer with hardwood floors, varnished wood trim, and wainscoting. Atop the tower was a cast iron lantern containing a fifth order Fresnel lens. On high ground, the building provided visibility up to 12 miles. 

Several upgrades were made over the years, including a 10-inch fog whistle in 1899. That whistle was upgraded in 1933 and again 20 years later. Coast Guard crews manned the station until 1972, when the tower light was replaced by an automated beacon atop a steel tower. The lighthouse stood vacant for 13 years until a local group organized the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Foundation, which reopened it as a museum in 1987.

Worth the Trip: In addition to informative tours, there are loads of educational, and fun, activities for kids and adults alike. Each year there’s the Rock the Light 5k and 10k races held in June. The 19th annual Lobster Fest is set for Aug. 10, a fundraiser with great food, including your choice of fresh East Coast lobster or filet mignon ($90 for members and $100 for non-members and limited to 200 tickets).

Did You Know: The lighthouse was reportedly raided several times by “Mormon Pirates,” followers of James Jesse Strang, the self-proclaimed King of Beaver Island. They considered themselves above the law and would take anything they needed by raiding nearby areas. On one occasion, so the story goes, they tried to remove the lighthouse’s Fresnel lens to install on Beaver Island, but they were driven off by keeper Philo Beers, who had once served as a U.S. Deputy.

South Manitou Lighthouse

Find It: Access to South Manitou Island, where the lighthouse stands, is by private boat or passenger ferry service run by Manitou Island Transit. The ferry operates from the Fishtown Dock in Leland.  

Maritime History: Built in 1839, the first island lighthouse was a 30-foot-tall stone tower with a simple stone dwelling as the keeper’s quarters. In 1858 a new lighthouse that integrated a wooden light tower atop a three-story keeper’s home was built. 

Increased shipping traffic led to the construction of another new light tower in 1871. At 100 feet tall, it was designed to be visible from a greater distance. A covered passageway linked the tower with the 1858 keeper’s quarters. Stout oak logs and stones anchor the tower to bedrock beneath the sands. The U.S. Lighthouse Service used standard lighthouse designs to reduce construction costs—this particular design was used for 11 other lighthouses on the Great Lakes.

Operations ceased in 1958, and in 2009, the building was restored and a replica lens installed. The lighthouse now resides within the domain of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Worth the Trip: There are several outbuildings associated with the lighthouse. The Whistle Shed (unsurprisingly) housed the fog bell (1839) and later a steam-powered fog whistle (1874) to warn those sailing through the Manitou Passage. There’s also an oil shed—built from metal to reduce the risk of fire—and a brick fuel storage building.

Did You Know: You won’t find food service, stores, or medical centers on the island. Emergency medical responders primarily come from the mainland, which can take hours to days depending on the weather. For a day trip, be sure to bring rain gear and wear comfortable hiking boots. Mosquitoes, flies, and ticks are common in summer and fall, so wear clothes that cover your arms and legs and bring repellent. 

North Manitou Shoal Light, aka “The Crib”

Find It: This lighthouse is out in Lake Michigan, one mile offshore of North Manitou Island and eight miles offshore of Leland. The lighthouse is a steel structure that stands on a foundation made of a “crib” embedded into the lake floor that is filled with concrete and rock—thus the local nickname.

Maritime History: Completed in 1935, the light marks the shallow area off the southern tip of North Manitou Island for ships passing through the Manitou Passage. Prior to The Crib’s operation, a ship carrying a light that anchored in the lake was used to mark the shoal from 1910 to 1935. 

The lighthouse was manned by a three-man crew of members of the U.S. Coast Guard until 1980, when the lighthouse was fully automated and the Coast Guard crew was removed. 

The structure stood vacant and uncared for until 2016 when it was purchased by North Manitou Light Keepers (NMLK), a nonprofit organization. The group has been very active in restoring The Crib to its former glory.  

Worth the Trip: Given its location, many people pass The Crib on their way to the Manitou Islands. The lighthouse also can be seen and heard from the islands, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and around Leland and Glen Arbor. 

Did You Know: Weekly tours are offered during the summer by contacting NMLK at northmanitoulightkeepers.org. The annual Lightkeeper Rally and Crib Cruise is held this week on July 18; the rally (free with RSVP) is held at the Old Art Building in Leland from 5-7pm, followed by a cruise on the Mishe-Mokwa of Manitou Island Transit ($50) around the lighthouse.

McGulpin Point Lighthouse

Find It: At 500 Headlands Road in Mackinaw City.

Maritime History: After Congress allocated $20,000 (nearly half a million in today’s dollars), construction on the lighthouse began in 1869, and the completed structure served as a beacon for sailors for decades. When the Old Mackinac Light and Signal Station was built in 1892, it was decided that McGulpin Point was no longer needed. But McGulpin Point’s light continued to protect shipping on the Straits of Mackinac until 1906. 

A private owner, Sam Smith, bought it for $1,425 in 1913. Over the years it passed through other owners until the Peppler family sold it to Emmet County in 2008. The county’s Historical Commission now oversees the restoration and future of the lighthouse. The 10-acre property has more than 300 feet of shoreline on the Straits of Mackinac, including views of the Mighty Mac. 

Worth the Trip: Don’t miss the Discovery Trail that interprets the history of the lighthouse property with cultural docents along the way. There are five stations from the top of the bluff area near the lighthouse itself winding down to the waterfront.

Did You Know: Years before the pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, French explorers were using the Big Rock at McGulpin Point as a landmark while navigating the waters of the straits. Sitting on the lighthouse property, this massive boulder stands nine feet high and weighs approximately 54 tons.