Driving along the Lake Huron shoreline for more than two hundred miles, I encountered lots of beautiful scenery and several interesting towns. Since Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state, I made a point of visiting as many as possible. Some are off-shore and others were just too far out of my way to see this trip.
The lighthouse at Forty Mile Point is quite large and stately, containing apartments for both the Keeper and the Assistant Keeper. It was built in 1896 and is still operational, having been automated in 1969. This area of Lake Huron is considered to be a "graveyard of ships", with more than 1200 having wrecked in the vicinity. During the "big blow" of 1905, twenty-seven wooden ships were lost. One of them, the steamer Joseph S. Fay, ran aground and a portion of its hull still rests on the beach a few hundred feet from the lighthouse.
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Forty Mile Point Lighthouse
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| Remains of Joseph S. Fay |
The "new" Presque Isle Lighthouse was built in 1870 to replace one built in 1840 not far away. A house for the keeper and Assistant Keeper followed shortly after. In 1890, a steam fog signal building was added, along with a second dwelling, needed to house the additional staff required to keep the fog signal operating.
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New Presque Isle Lighthouse
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Seeing this lifeboat from the S. T. Crapo, I did a little research and learned the Crapo was built in 1927 for the Huron Portland Cement Co and hauled bulk cement around the Great Lakes until 1996. She is moored in Green Bay, WI and used for cement storage.
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S. T. Crapo Lifeboat
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Rogers City
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Rogers City
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Rogers City
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Rogers City
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Rogers City
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It was a great surprise to discover a limestone quarry in Michigan, but even more so to learn it is the largest in the world. Limestone is used in a number of ways, ranging from steel making to construction to refining sugar from beets. The limestone near Rogers City was formed by a shallow inland sea and has been quarried for more than 100 years. Being right on the Lake Huron shore makes it convenient for shipping on lake freighters. The site is about 7000 acres, with only 3000 acres in current use. It is expected that it can provide limestone for another 100 years.
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Limestone Quarry
The town of Alpena has a lovely park and wildlife sanctuary located on the Thunder Bay River.
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Alpena Park
The Sturgeon Point Lighthouse was built in 1869 to help ships navigate around a reef that extends one and one-half miles into Lake Huron. I found it interesting that the outhouse has been preserved, and it is a "two-holer". It must be a "his and hers" because one seat is slightly larger than the other.
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| Sturgeon Point Lighthouse |
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Sturgeon Point Outhouse
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Sturgeon Point Outhouse
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Near the lighthouse, I was impressed by a neat farm house and barn.
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Sturgeon Point
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Sturgeon Point
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The last Michigan lighthouse I saw was the one at Tawas Point. Built in 1877 to replace an older light that was obsolete, the tower is 70 feet tall. The original Fresnel lens still operates, but the Coast Guard has plans to replace it with an electonic light. The lighthouse is now in a State Park.
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Tawas Point Lighthouse
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