Little Sable Point Light

History…

The Little Sable Point Lighthouse is 115 feet high and one of the tallest working lighthouses on Lake Michigan, visible for 19 miles. In continuous operation since 1874, it is a guardian to ships that pass the Silver Lake Sand Dunes at Mears, Michigan.

With the grounding of the schooner “Pride” on Little Sable Point in 1871, cries for the construction of a lighthouse at what was then known as Petite Pointe Au Sable swelled. In 1872, O. M. Poe, the Major of Engineers of the Eleventh Lighthouse District, wrote to the Lighthouse Board requesting that land for a lighthouse be reserved in the area. Congress appropriated $35,000 for the project, and 39 acres of land were selected on which to construct the new light station. Crews completed the project in 1873, at a cost of $28,886.

The original name given and used on most official records was “Petite Pointe Au Sable Lighthouse”. On May 9, 1910 the official name of the light was changed to “Little Sable Point Light Station” by the Lighthouse board.

It did not take long before mariners began complaining that the natural brick coloration made the tower difficult to see during daylight hours. As a result, the tower was painted white on September 24, 1900. The tower remained in its white painted condition until 1977, when the tower was sandblasted in an effort to reduce ongoing maintenance costs.

In December 1954, with electrical power extended to the station, the kerosene lamp was replaced with a 250-watt electrical lamp within the Fresnel lens. At this time, the rotating mechanism was also removed from the tower, giving the light a new fixed characteristic. With the station unmanned, the Coast Guard began to see the ancillary buildings as a liability, and in the first half of 1955 a crew arrived at the station and demolished everything but the tower.

The 39 acres of the original station are now part of the Silver Lake State Park, and a paved parking lot has been constructed a short distance behind the dunes, giving bathers a close path to the beach. The lighthouse is open for tours during the summer months.

Getting There…

Follow US-31 to the Shelby Road Exit. Follow Shelby Road west to B-15 (Scenic Drive). Follow B-15 to Silver Lake Road. Turn left onto Silver Lake Road (next to Mac Wood’s Dune Rides). Follow the winding, paved road to the Little Sable Point Light Station.

Clues…

Due east of the lighthouse, find two pair of isolated wooden posts flanking a faint trail that heads up a small sandy hill. Walk through the posts toward the treeline. Upon reaching the foundation, proceed northward along the treeline, down a hill to a gnarly oak on your right. Just past the oak, turn into the trees and head eastward about 50-60 paces to a tree with many arms, holding up a fallen neighbor. In the hollow base of the fallen tree find the letterbox.

NOTE… This is a very busy area during the summer. Please be discreet when searching for the box and carry it away from the hiding spot to stamp in. When replacing the box, make sure to wedge it in tightly so that it is not visible when walking past.

Big Sable Point Light

Site Notes…

This box is located within Ludington State Park. A Michigan State Parks vehicle pass is required for entry and can be purchased at the park. Please check the park web site for dates and hours of operation.

Clues…

This box is missing and will be replanted in a new location.

Holland Harbor Light

History…

The first lighthouse built at the entrance to Holland Harbor was a small, square wooden structure erected in the late 1800’s. Only a few years later, the lighthouse service installed a new light atop a metal pole in a protective cage. The oil lantern was lowered by pulleys for service. At the turn of the century a steel tower was built for the light, and in 1907 the present structure was erected. Named the Holland Harbor South Pierhead Lighthouse, it has a gabled roof that reflects the Dutch influence in the area. The stout lighthouse, popularly referred to as “Big Red,” was automated in 1932. When the U.S. Coast Guard recommended that it be abandoned in 1970, citizens circulated petitions to rescue it. The Holland Harbor Lighthouse Historical Commission was then organized to preserve and restore this landmark.

Although the lighthouse sits on the south breakwall of the Holland Harbor channel, the barrage of luxury homes, condominiums and private neighborhood associations along the south shore of Lake Macatawa in recent years has made it impossible to get to the lighthouse on this side of the channel without knowing somebody or trespassing. Fortunately, there is an unobstructed view from the north side of the channel at Holland State Park.

Clues…

This box is missing and will be replanted in a new location.

Seul Choix Point Light

Background Information…

Seul Choix (pronounced Sis-shwa) Point Light marks a small harbor on Lake Michigan located on the south shore of the Upper Peninsula, some sixty miles west of the Straits of Mackinac. The name meaning, “only choice”, was given by French fur traders, who found that it was the only harbor of refuge as they traveled in canoes across the rough waters of Lake Michigan.

During the mid-1800’s Seul Choix Point was the center of a thriving fishing community, but today, only the lighthouse complex is still in existence. The light still operates, but with an automated replacement for its original lens. The light was placed into service in 1892, but the tower had to be rebuilt and the station was not entirely completed until September, 1895. The conical brick light tower rests on an ashlar foundation 12 feet high, with 5 feet below grade, and has a diameter of 18 feet at the base of the brickwork, and 12 feet, 8 inches at the parapet. The tower is surmounted by a 10-sided cast iron lantern that originally held a Third Order Fresnel lens manufactured by Le Paute of Paris. The lantern is now fitted with a modern airport beacon lens. Overall, the tower is 78 feet, 9 inches tall, measured to the top of the ventilator ball, producing a lens focal plane 80 feet above the mean low water level of Lake Michigan. The lighthouse exhibited a fixed red light, varied by a red flash every fifteen seconds, and its beacon was visible for thirteen miles. The station, also operated a fog signal which was a 10-inch steam whistle.

The two-story house, easily large enough to accommodate two families, is finished in red brick, including several rooms that have been added onto the original structure. Matching brick archways support the roof of a porch that is deeply recessed into the front of the house. White trim around the windows and eaves contrasts with the deep color of the brick. The interior rooms of the living quarters have been completely restored and decorated as they would have appeared in the 1900’s-1930’s. The tower is attached to the house by a small, enclosed corridor of red brick.

On the grounds nearby are a boat launch, restrooms, picnic areas and barbecue pits. A short trail leads to the shore, and after you walk it, you’ll quickly understand the need for this lighthouse. A huge limestone shoal reaches out from beneath your feet and cuts through the clear water to almost 100 yards from shore. There, waves are breaking, their white foam outlining the shallowest parts of the reef. The shoal plus the land mass of the point itself, which slopes down into the waters of Lake Michigan for nearly three miles, add up to a very dangerous area for navigators.

The lighthouse grounds are well maintained, with long expanses of grass stretching out to meet the neatly trimmed cedars and pines that dot the lawn. An old wood dryer for fish nets has retired to near the house. All of the original outbuildings are also still standing, including explosives storehouses and the fog signal building, which now houses a gift shop and small museum. The museum is open from Memorial Day through mid October, seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are fascinating items in the museum, including a well preserved dugout canoe, one of the rarest finds to be uncovered in the midwest. The Seul Choix Point Lighthouse is a Michigan Historic Site and a National Historic Landmark. It is operated by the Gulliver Historical Society in cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources.

Getting There…

From the junction of US-2 and County Road 432 in Gulliver, about 11 miles east of Manistique, go south on County Road 432 (Point Inland Rd.) about 4 miles to County Road 431. Turn right (west) onto County Road 431, which is a gravel road, and go approximately 4 miles to the lighthouse.

Clues…

From the boat launch drive, begin walking in an easterly direction along the edge of the grassy clearing next to the water. Find an opening between two clumps of cedar trees at the second grill. Take 10 paces down onto the rocks toward the water to a place where a large, flat-surfaced stone ledge is on your left. Over your right shoulder, at 130 degrees, see the root face of a fallen cedar tree. Find the box hidden behind the roots in a small pile of rocks. Watch for poison ivy!

Point Iroquois Light Station

The Point Iroquois Lighthouse stands watch where Lake Superior begins its treacherous rush into the St. Mary’s River. The Ojibwa Indians massacred a group of invading Iroquois warriors at this location in 1662, giving the point its original Indian name. It was noted by the early explorers, but did not become significant until the St. Mary’s Falls Ship Canal opened in 1855. Ships passing from Lake Superior into the canal came close to Point Iroquois, through a narrow passage between the sandy shores on the American side and the reefs on the Canadian side.

The Point Iroquois Light was first illuminated in 1857 and its Fourth Order Fresnel lens shone over one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world: the entrance to the St. Mary’s River and the Soo Locks. Point Iroquois became busier with each passing year, and the personnel and facilities required to run the station grew accordingly. In 1870 the house and tower were completely rebuilt, and in 1902, a two-story rectangular brick house was added to the residence to provide housing for the assistant keeper at a total cost of $18,000. There was a group of children at the station and the government sponsored a school at the point. The children of local fishermen also came here to school, so the point became a meeting place for local residents.

The lighthouse, now a part of the Hiawatha National Forest, rests on a bluff above Lake Superior; wooden walkways lead to the beach; and the shore here is littered with unusual driftwood and banded agates. The large two-story house is white, with a red roof sloping over all the gables and additions. The attached brick tower, also white, is topped with a black parapet and lantern room. The conical tower is 16 feet in diameter at the base, stands 51 feet tall to the lantern deck and 65 feet high overall. Visitors can climb 72 steps spiraling to the top of the tower for a remarkable view. The panorama, needless to say, is impressive, as you can see almost the entire coastline of Whitefish Bay and miles out into Lake Superior, including any freighter that happens to be passing by. The historical society has renovated the interior of the house, and antiques and memorabilia have been arranged to show what life was like during the heyday of the lighthouse. Informative displays fill several rooms, and the gift shop sells lighthouse themed souvenirs and a wide variety of books on Michigan’s nautical and natural history.

The museum, gift shop and tower are open from mid-May through mid-October. Hours may vary, so call ahead if you are planning to tour the lighthouse.

Getting There…

Take the M-28 exit from I-75. Following the signs to Brimley, follow M-221 north. When the road ends in Brimley, turn left onto Lakeshore Drive (6 Mile Road). Continue west through the town of Bay Mills for about 7.5 miles to the lighthouse. Lakeshore Drive runs along Lake Superior for about 40 miles between Brimley and M-123 (the road to Paradise). It is a beautiful drive any time of year, and well worth the extra time.

Clues…

Behind the necessary building, find a clearing to the East. Walk in that direction along the treeline on the north. Just beyond a 4-trunk oak, see an orange-tipped stake straight ahead. Turn into the woods and find a fallen log (are trees square?). Find the letterbox inside the decaying wood.