Michigan Lighthouses on the Auction Block

Each year since 2000, the United States Coast Guard has come up with a list of lighthouses to be sold into private ownership. Since that year, the Coast Guard has transferred ownership of 41 lighthouses nationwide. Of the lighthouses on the annual lists, seventeen are located in the state of Michigan. Five have been already transferred to non-profit organizations or governmental entities. The Munising Station and Front and Rear Range Lights, for instance, became a part of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore preserve, while the Manitou Island Light has been placed in the good hands of Michigan's Keeweenaw Land Trust. An additinal seven potential Michigan lighthouse owners are awaiting approval of the transfer of ownership.

Five Michigan lighthouses are still on the auction block of the General Services Administration. This article will explore the unique characteristics of these five historic lights.

Ownership of a lighthouse is not as easy or romantic as it may sound. The new owners must, in accordance with the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, have a viable plan for the lighthouse. This plan must be submitted to the National Park Service and detail how the building will be repaired and used. The lighthouse must be utilized in a way that will not degrade its historic value. It has to be restored as closely as possible to the original construction.

Alpena Light
The Alpena lighthouse has a skeletal steel base with a cone shaped enclosed tower sitting atop it. Painted bright red, the old light has been nicknamed "Sputnik" since the late 1950's. The need for a lighthouse in this northern Michigan community was recognized in 1867. A temporary light pole and two wooden lighthouses preceded it. The current light sits at the end of the breakwall at the entrance to the Thunder Bay River. This 80 foot structure oversees the river and Lake Huron. Its fourth order Fresnel lens was originally lit in 1914. There is no keeper's quarters or sound signal building near this lighthouse although Terry Pepper's research indicates there was at one time a brick building for storing the oil needed for one of the lighthouses.The Alpena light remains an active aid to navigation.

St. Joseph Pierhead and Inner Lights

The St. Joseph Pierhead and Inner Lights have been photographed many times, especially when Lake Michigan's waves crash against the pierhead or form thick coats of ice around the two lights and the pier. The pier itself is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers. The fact sheet indicates the lighthouses may contain asbestos or lead-based paint, a common concern with many of the historic properties up for sale. These lights are on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1906, the 35 foot pierhead light replaced a light on shore that was built in 1859. It has a cylinder shaped lantern top over a white cast iron base. Built in 1907, the inner light is closer to shore and stands 57 feet high. The round lantern top is cast iron. The white tower below it is octagonal and about 10 feet in diameter. Below the light tower is a fog signal building. The fog signal building is about 26 feet square, has a red roof, a steel frame, and cast iron plates about 3/8th's inch thick as outer walls. The lighthouse these two lights replaced was operational until 1924 and was demolished in 1955. These two lights 315 feet apart on the St. Joseph pierhead mark the St. Joseph River entrance and are considered a signature of this Michigan city. As with many of these Coast Guard offerings, the lights will remain navigational aids and the maintenance of the structure will pass to the winning purchaser.

Muskegon South Pierhead Light

The 1903 Muskegon South Pierhead Light is constructed of cast iron and marks the entrance to Muskegon's harbor. It is located on the end of the south pier and can not be missed due to its red paint job. The cylinder-shaped tower is about 53 feet high and made of cast iron. The original light was a fourth order Fresnel lens which has been updated. The pier built in 1902 is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers. The light remains an active navigational aid.

Muskegon South Breakwater Light

The Muskegon South Breakwater Light was constructed of cast iron in 1903. It is cone-shaped and painted red. Its height is about 70 feet where it sits at the end of the southernmost breakwater. This Michigan lighthouse guards the entrance to the Lake Muskegon channel. The two lights at the ends of the piers replaced a lighthouse with keeper's dwelling built in 1851.

Menominee North Pierhead Light

The application to obtain this historic lighthouse is under review. The Menominee North Pierhead Light was brought in by boat in 1927. Its white octagonal tower was lowered into its place on the pier. Made of cast iron, the lighthouse had a fog signal building attached to it. Because the light keepers had to get out to the light and back, a wooden catwalk was built above and along the pier. The lens was a fourth order Fresnel lens. Later in the existence of this Michigan lighthouse the wooden pier was eliminated and replaced by a circular concrete crib. A concrete walkway extended out to it. The fog signal building was removed and replaced by an automated signal that sounded from within the tower. The light was automated in 1972. The tower was painted red and relocated to the center of the circular concrete crib. From there, the Menominee North Pierhead Light stands watch over the Menominee River as it empties into Green Bay and Lake Michigan.

Each year more lighthouses are added to the list of those to be offered to governmental entities and non-profit groups. Who knows what next year's auction will mean for the lighthouses of Michigan's shores?