Point Light. It is located at the northern tip of Mackinaw City. The light was built in 1892 and served primarily as a navigational aid for the ferries operating between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, (the city on the north side of the Straits of Mackinaw). When the Mackinac Bridge was opened in 1957, there was no longer a need for a lighthouse in the vicinity because navigators began using the bridge as a reference point. It was originally built as a fog signal station in 1890, the light was added two years later.
We drove down to Presque Isle, which is French for "almost an island", along the shore of Lake Huron. The lighthouse here was built to replace the "Old" light in 1870. It stands 109 feet tall and its Third Order Fresnel Lens is visible 21 statute miles out into Lake Huron. We climbed to the top of the lighthouse, 130 stairs. The view from the top was fantastic!
Just a short distance from the "New" Presque Isle Lighthouse is the "Old" Lighthouse. Construction of this light took an interesting direction. The bottom part is made of stone and conical in shape, while the top is of brick and round in shape, The lantern room is not the original but is the lantern room from South Fox Island Lighthouse (Lake Michigan) brought to this site as part of a preservation project in the late 1950's. This lighthouse was in operation from 1840 to 1870 when the newer, taller light was built a mile away. Although privately owned, this site is open to the public.
Traveling north back toward Mackinaw City we stopped at
Forty Mile Point. This lighthouse stands 53 feet tall, the structure is constructed of brick and has the keeper's quarters built into it. Half the duplex is being restored as a museum: the other half is the residence for the park manager.
Construction was completed on this lighthouse on November 12, 1896 however winter was at hand and it was too late in the year to activate the light. A light keeper came to the house around January 4, 1897.Also at this lighthouse down along the beach is the remnants of a ship wreck. These are the remnants of the wooden steamer Joseph S. Fay. It was among the first steam ships built of the Great Lakes Freighters, built for the iron ore trade. On October 19, 1905 violent winds and savage waves sunk the ship, it was swept up on the shore near the Forty Mile Lighthouse. The Captain and 10 of the crew survived, the first mate did not survive. The only thing left is the bottom of the ship and metal rods and spikes holding her steady resting in the sand.
As you can see it was a beautiful afternoon.
That is all for today, check in for more later,
Candy and Johnny
