The Lighthouses of Lake Michigan (West)

Privately built by the Kevich family, this lighthouse has the highest focal plane of any active U.S. Great Lakes lighthouse; Boyer Bluff Light (above) is the only higher navigational aid on Lake Michigan. Located a top a high bluff on Lake shore Road a short distance north of Ulao Road, in the town of Grafton, about 4 miles south of Port Washington.

There is no good access to the light from the land. ARLHS # USA-1066

Photo courtesy Ann Stibor [Flickr]

This is the other side of the entrance way. No where near as pretty, but a light [house] and not in the book. ARLHS # USA-654

The lighthouse is built on top of the fog alarm, so looks much like a wedding cake. The picture is taken from the rear deck of the SS Badger on our way into Manitowac. ARLHS # USA-471

Although the site was established in 1853, this lighthouse was moved here from Chicago in 1894. It's the tallest skeletal steel tower lighthouse. ARLHS # USA-689

We were told to use a boat to get to this one. This picture is taken from the shore with the long lens but not using all of it. If you're willing to walk out the south pierhead (the lighthouse is on the north side), you wouldn't need to be George Washington to throw a silver dollar at it.

ARLHS # USA-004

For some reason (probably a need to load supplies), there's a Pier right by the canal. This light illuminates the Pier. The building also contains a fog horn, so it is larger than just the light requires.

Note carefully the height of the catwalk. During heavy storms, this area can get very wet. ARLHS # USA-822

The replacement for the light above was a pair of lights, arranged in a range formation (the captain lined the two lights up so that they were atop each other, then follows that into the harbor). What's most interesting is that the front range appears to be a duplicate of the Front Range at Presque Isle Michigan. ARLHS # USA-936

The Cana Island light is a complement to the lights above - intended to get sailors safely into Bailey's Harbor (or at least safely past the rocks that surround it). As we visited it, the Island is actually a peninsula, with a natural causeway about 6" to 1' above the lake level. With lake levels low, you can imagine how wet that causeway can be when either the lake is higher or the winds are stronger (in high winds, the wave splash hits the power wires over the causeway). ARLHS # USA-104

The photograph was taken from the Washington Island ferry which normally goes west of Plum Island, but due to weather, this time went south (very nice for us). ARLHS # USA-608

We finished up our Michigan Cruise with a stop at Washington Island (had 12 passengers that needed a pick up). As we pulled into harbor, Ken Wardius (co-author of The Lighthouses of Wisconsin) commented that the light shown on the left is not in many directories of lights, and it should be. ^GLLKA

While it looks like a simple channel marker, you will note that it does have a solar operated light on the top, it is a fixed installation (not a buoy) and it has a classic "day mark" which also serves as the channel mark. On the other hand, if it is a light, it probably qualifies for "one of the ugliest".

The light station is managed by the Little Traverse Bay band of the Odawa Indian Nation. Located on an island in the Rock Island Passage entrance to Green Bay, about 12 miles southwest of Fairport. Site and tower closed.

Photo courtesy Terry Pepper (2006)

This is as far north as you can get in Door County without using a ferry. It's located in a very nice State Park (called Peninsula Park), so requires the $3 access fee (which is good for one hour for out of state people) As built, it featured a 3 1/2 Fresnel lens, but now is a solar powered light. ARLHS # USA-252

This is the current light on Green Island. It's just to the east of the ruins shown above. Probably very efficient, but no were near as interesting to look at.

The light is fully automated. During the summer, it's used as a residence for vacationing Coast Guard Personnel, so access may be difficult. It's on the western edge of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal.

To get here, exit 57 on County road PD, take a left (west) on County Road C, then go north on County Road M. In about 3 miles, take a left on E. Sherwood Pt. Rd. ARLHS # USA-754

From Highway 41 west of Neenah, take Exit 131 and follow Highway 114 east into the city. After 1.6 miles, turn right onto E. Wisconsin Avenue. After 0.9 miles, where Wisconsin Avenue ends at the lake, turn left on Lakeshore Avenue, which will lead to the park and the lighthouse.

Note that this light, and the next 3, are actually on Lake Winnebago, not Michigan ARLHS # USA-1070

Photo courtesy courtesy Michael Barlow [Webshots]

From Highway 45 in Oshkosh north of the Fox River, take Irving Avenue east for 0.6 miles to Broad Street. Turn right onto Broad Street and follow it for 0.9 miles to Bay Shore Drive. Turn left onto Bay Shore and continue for 0.8 miles to Lake Street. The lighthouse can be seen from the street at the corner of Lake Street and Bay Shore Drive ARLHS # USA-1255

Photo courtesy Michael Barlow [Webshots]

Originally built as a water tower for the Fond du Lac Table Factory. It was moved in 1936 to the Calumet Harbor. Restored in 1992, it is located in Columbia Park on the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago.

Photo courtesy Michael Barlow [Webshots]

Yet one more cast iron, bright fire engine red lighthouse at the end of a pier. The weather this day was bright and clear, but with a strong wind and only about 54°. With the wind coming in, the pier is pretty wet, so these photos are taken with the long lens rather than walking out and getting very wet. ARLHS # USA-490

Note that this lighthouse is built facing backwards - the light faces the town, not the water. Maybe from 8 miles out it doesn't make any real difference, but all the other engineers seem to think it did. ARLHS # USA-275

The bulk of the lighthouse burned down in 1959, and only the tower remains. Physically, this is directly east of Escanaba, but nearly an hours drive (at the end of county 513) if you can't fly. ARLHS # USA-591