“Even though lighthouses may no longer serve their original purpose with modern GPS and radar, they still hold a valuable place in our cultural heritage and in how communities connect with their past.”
—Don La Barre, maritime historian at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary & the Michigan History Center
In August of 2025, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary did a social media campaign highlighting the eight lighthouse that exist within the 4,300 square mile sanctuary. This blog is a chronological recap of the campaign, which kicked off with this video from La Barre.

*aerial image of the New Presque Isle Lighthouse taken by Bryan Dort/Photic.Zone

AUGUST 5th, 2025 POST:

THUNDER BAY ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE
Established: 1832
Height: 63 feet
Light: 4th order Fresnel Lens with a 16 mile range
Automated: 1983

A Brief History:
Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse is the oldest in the sanctuary and was the third to be constructed on Lake Huron. Built in 1831, it had to be rebuilt after a powerful storm swept over the 215-acre limestone island.

In the decades that followed, the island’s light guided countless ships while also becoming home to a fishing community of more than 150 early settlers. It later housed a life-saving station, which eventually became part of what is now known as the U.S. Coast Guard.

Spanning more than 150 years of maritime history, Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse remains a symbol of endurance and guidance. Today, the Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse Preservation Society (TBILPS) works to restore and maintain the buildings and history.

An effort for local ownership of the lighthouse is ongoing, with the removal of the delapitated boat house in 2022 marking a big step forward—making the property more suitable for inclusion in the public domain.

“Alpena Township and TBILPS are working with the Bureau of Land Management on next steps. All parties remain committed to doing the best thing for the island.” -Sue Skibbe, Secretary & Government Liaison TBILPS
AUGUST 11th POST:
Old Presque Isle Lighthouse photos with quick text about each photoOLD PRESQUE ISLE LIGHTHOUSE
Established: 1840
Height: 30 feet
Light: 4th order Fresnel Lens
Decommissioned: 1870

A Brief History:
Once Presque Isle was recognized as a safe haven for ships to seek shelter and resupply, the next logical step was building a lighthouse to guide ships into the harbor. Congress approved $5,000 for the project, and by September 1840, the Old Presque Isle Light was in service—with Henry Woolsey as its first keeper, earning $350 a year.

After Woolsey’s passing, four more keepers followed, the last being Patrick Garrity Sr., patriarch of a family full of lighthouse keepers.

By the late 1860s, the keeper’s house had fallen into disrepair, and there was a new standard to strategically build lighthouses 40 miles apart to better aid mariners. The thinking being that with an average light range of around 20 miles, ships would always be able to spot a lighthouse. Eventually, the decision was made to build a taller lighthouse a mile north in a location easily seen from all directions. Garrity moved to the new station, and the Old Light was decommissioned.

At the turn of the century, it was sold to the highest bidder. Over the years, it changed hands multiple times and underwent several structural changes. In 1995, Presque Isle Township purchased the lighthouse, and today it stands as a public park and museum, lovingly preserved for all to enjoy.
 
AUGUST 14th POST:
STURGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE
Established: 1870
Height: 70 feet
Light: 3.5 order Fresnel Lens
Automated: 1939
A Brief History:
A mile-long reef extending into Lake Huron posed a serious hazard to thousands of 19th-century sailing vessels navigating the Great Lakes. In 1869, construction began on Sturgeon Point Lighthouse to mark the danger, and in the spring of 1870, the light was lit. Perley Silverthorn became the first lightkeeper, lighting the kerosene lamp each night. He lived in the keeper’s house with his wife and four children.
Six years later, a U.S. Life Saving Station was established at the site, eventually becoming a U.S. Coast Guard Station in 1915. Interestingly, Silverthorn is reported to have resigned as lighthouse keeper (a $400 annual salary) to become the first keeper of the Life Saving Station (a $200 annual salary), believing the work would be more exciting.
During the years of human operation, Sturgeon Point became a hub of social activity, with summer baseball games, family picnics, and even lighthouse tours for guests.
The lighthouse was automated in 1939 and still lights the sky today with an LED beacon monitored by the Coast Guard. The Life Saving Station buildings have since been torn down.
The lighthouse grounds are always open to visitors, though the tower and keeper’s house have limited hours. The grounds also feature the Bailey School, a one-room schoolhouse originally located 25 miles southwest in Mikado, Michigan. It was dismantled and moved to Sturgeon Point in 1998 so more people could enjoy and explore it.

 

 

AUGUST 17th POST:

NEW PRESQUE ISLE LIGHTHOUSE
Established: 1871
Height: 113 feet
Light: 3rd Order Fresnel Lens
Automated: 1970

A Brief History:
The tallest of our sanctuary sentinels, the New Presque Isle Lighthouse, was built in 1870 and first lit in 1871. It remains an active aid to navigation to this day.

Built for around $35,000, the tower and keeper’s house are one of the nine “Poe Lights” of the Great Lakes—designed by renowned Army engineer Orlando M. Poe, who also helped design part of the Soo Locks.

The lighthouse’s first keeper, Patrick Garrity Sr., left quite the legacy. Five of his children followed in his footsteps, making lighthouse keeping a true family tradition. Patrick Sr. was a Keeper from 1861-1902, serving at the Old, New and Range light, and a member of the Garrity family went on to be a Keeper at the PI Lighthouses (Old, New, Range) for a span of 74 years!

In 1905, a second dwelling was added to accommodate the extra staff needed after a steam-operated foghorn was installed in 1890. Later, in 1973, the U.S. Coast Guard leased the property to Presque Isle Township for use as a public park. Over the next 25 years, three families lived in the 1905 home as caretakers. In the 1990s, volunteers from the Presque Isle Township Museum Society restored the house—preserving much of its original structure and historical artifacts.

Today, visitors can tour the home and even climb to the top of the light tower for a breathtaking view.

 

 

 

AUGUST 19th POST:

SPECTACLE REEF LIGHTHOUSE
Established: 1874 (construction began in 1870)
Height: 97 feet
Light: 2nd Order Fresnel Lens
Automated: 1972

A Brief History:
You may wonder, “Why is there a lighthouse 18 miles from shore in Lake Huron?”
Actually, there are several mid-lake lighthouses that mark shallow reefs. But Spectacle Reef is the most expensive lighthouse ever built on the Great Lakes, and it sits just inside the sanctuary’s northern border. It rests on an ancient limestone mountain just below the water’s surface—only about four feet deep in some places!

A continuous hazard during the shipping seasons, mariners requested a light be placed on the shallow Spectacle Reef. In 1856, a buoy was placed as a temporary aid, but the Civil War delayed further plans and construction did not begin until 1870.

More than 100 workmen were involved in building Spectacle Reef. Construction started with a massive crib foundation, followed by hand-cut interlocking limestone blocks that formed the tower. This interlocking design helped the structure withstand the relentless force of the waves—actually growing stronger with each hit!

In 1874, the lighthouse was finally lit by the first keeper Patrick McCann. The final price tag? Over $400,000—equivalent to more than $9 million today!

Construction and maintenance continued even after the lighthouse went into service—and they still continue today. The Spectacle Reef Preservation Society is working to preserve the site and transform it into a living museum and learning center.

Of course, the lighthouse has no shortage of stories—of fierce storms, tragedy, and engineering triumphs. Start exploring its history at:
🔗 https://spectaclereef.org/

Spectacle Reef is also a realtime coastal observation network station. You can view the data thanks to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory:
https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/recon/station-srl.html

AUGUST 22nd POST:

ALPENA LIGHTHOUSE
Established: 1914 (current structure)
Height: 34 feet
Light: 4th Order Fresnel Lens

A Brief History:
There have been several versions of the Alpena Lighthouse over the years, but the iconic four-legged, pyramid-style tower you see today—affectionately known as “Little Red”—has stood at the mouth of the Thunder Bay River since 1914. More than just a beacon for maritime traffic, this lighthouse was tightly linked to Alpena’s booming lumber industry in the 19th century as well.

Let’s rewind to the late-1800s, when Alpena was growing rapidly. As commerce and shipping increased, so did the need for a navigational light. After much discussion (and debate!) about its ideal location, the mouth of the Thunder Bay River was finally chosen. But before the lighthouse could rise, pier construction had to be completed—delays meant a temporary light was hung on a pillar in the meantime.

The first official Alpena Lighthouse was a wooden structure atop a wooden crib, but disaster struck in 1888, when a sawmill fire swept through the area, destroying more than 200 homes, the crib, lighthouse, and its sixth-order Fresnel lens.

By the following fall, a replacement lighthouse was constructed and stood for nearly 25 years. However, time and weather took their toll, and in 1914, the current steel structure was erected. Remarkably modern for its time, it was wired for electricity thanks to its proximity to downtown Alpena.

Today, the Alpena Lighthouse still serves as a navigational aid and now houses live weather cameras, offering a real-time view of conditions on Thunder Bay thanks to our partners at NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/metdata/apn/

AUGUST 26th POST:

40 MILE POINT LIGHTHOUSE
Established: 1897
Height: 52 ft
Light: 4th Order Fresnel Lens

A Brief History:
In 1889, the U.S. Lighthouse Board proposed $25,000 to build this light and fog signal, but delays meant it wasn’t completed until Nov 1896. It was officially lit on April 30, 1897, by Keeper Xavier Rains and Assistant Edward J. Lane.

Unlike most lighthouses, this one has a central tower built into a duplex-style keeper’s home—mirror-image apartments for the keeper and assistant, each with skylights over the stairs so they could monitor the light without stepping outside.

The U.S. Coast Guard took over in 1944; automation followed in 1969. The site became part of Lighthouse Park in the 1970s and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Time and vandalism took their toll, but restoration began after Presque Isle County took ownership, thanks to the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse Society.

Today, the lighthouse is open for tours on select days. The park also includes a schoolhouse, fog signal building, pilot house, gift shop, and lifeboat display. You can even spot the wreck of the JOSEPH S. FAY on the beach and just offshore—perfect for kayaking, paddleboarding, or snorkeling.

👀 Fun fact: A full-time caretaker lives on-site in one of the lighthouse apartments… and he’s actually related to a former lightkeeper!

AUGUST 28th POST:

MIDDLE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE
Established: 1905
Height: 80 ft
Light: 4th Order Fresnel Lens
A Brief History:
One of the last additions to the Lake Huron lights, Middle Island Lighthouse was aptly named for its location—midway between the Presque Isle and Thunder Bay Island lights. This strategic spot served as both a navigational landmark, signaling mariners when to turn, and a place of refuge during severe weather.
Its importance led to the construction of the lighthouse complex you see in the aerial image. The site includes not only the lighthouse tower, but also a foghorn building and a double-dwelling keeper’s house. Interestingly, a Life-Saving Station also operated on Middle Island from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s.
Patrick Garrity Jr. was the first keeper, serving from 1905 to 1917. In 1928, the light was upgraded to a 3rd Order Fresnel lens, increasing its range. A black stripe was painted around the tower in the 1950s, which was later changed to a reddish-orange in the 1960s.
In the 1970s, Alpena County took ownership of much of Middle Island, and a local group began restoration efforts. The tower light was converted to solar power in 1983. By 1989, the lighthouse was purchased by a private individual who transformed the former foghorn building into a “keeper’s lodge” for overnight stays.
Today, the lighthouse remains an active navigational aid—and it’s currently for sale.