White River Light

History…

The White River Light Station, established in 1875, is one of my favorite area lighthouses. The handsome mud brick keeper’s dwelling and octagonal light tower still stand in their original location on a bluff above the White Lake Channel, although they have been restored and now contain museum exhibits, open to the public.

The building of this lighthouse in 1875 served to enhance the navigational capacity of the original light, a 27 ft. wooden tower light located at the end of the channel’s south pier and accessed during high seas via a wooden catwalk. The original pierhead light structure and catwalk are no longer in existence.

Upon decommissioning this light, the Coast Guard placed a selling price of $6,250 on the entire site. The local township desperately wanted to purchase the lighthouse and restore it, but did not have the reserve cash in its budget. Local citizens then pooled their spare cash and provided the funds that allowed the light to be saved. The keeper’s dwelling of this light station is now used as a private residence and a museum operated by Fruitland Township, which bought the property in 1966.

Site Notes…

The parking area is open from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. There is no admission fee to the grounds, however there is a small charge for touring the lighthouse and museum exhibits.

Getting There…

Take U.S. 31 to the White Lake Dr. exit and follow it west about 4.5 miles to South Shore Dr. Turn left onto South Shore Dr. and go about 3.5 (the route makes a brief jog west on Lakewood St.) to a four way stop at the intersection with Scenic Dr. Continue straight ahead onto Murray Rd. which ends at the lighthouse after winding through the resort community of Sylvan Beach, once known as Wabaningo.

Alternate Route: You can also follow Lakeshore Drive up along Lake Michigan from North Muskegon to reach this location. This is a beautiful ride any time of year, but particularly in the fall and early spring when the green is just beginning to pop out and the views of Lake Michigan are not yet obstructed by the trees.

Clues…

From the ship’s wreckage resting near the top of the cement stairway from the channel walk, spot the red pole at 325 degrees.

From the pole, walk past the place of Paul and Edna to where 3 pointed heads border 4 resting spots. Follow the trail from the center up a sandy hill. At the crest, stop and notice the trio to your right. From this place of three, look to the SE. The box rests in the partially hollowed base of a tree 10 paces to the NE of the tree with the eyebrow crevice. Please be discreet in your search, carry the box away to stamp in and recover well when replacing!

Point Betsie Light Station

History…

The Point Betsie Light Station, which was registered with the National Registry of Historic Places in 1984, is one of the mostly visited and widely recognized lighthouses on the Great Lakes. The existing structure was built in 1858 on a point of land, known by the early settlers and trappers as “Point Aux Bec Sceis,” translated loosely to mean “sawed beak point.” This point of land was a key turning point for ships entering the Manitou Passage.

Until recent years, the keeper’s dwelling served as supplemental housing for US Coast Guard personnel. The lighthouse has now been turned over from the USCG to The Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse, a citizen’s organization formed for the purpose of preserving and managing the lighthouse.

The dunes area to the south and east of the lighthouse are a part of the Zetterberg and Point Betsie Dune Preserves, which boast several species of rare dune vegetation, as well many unique shoreline animal habitats. Please be conscious of this as you visit and stay on trails and avoid trampling beach grass or other plants. Hiking trails are available throughout the dunes preserve if you have a longer period of time.

Clues…

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

Old Mission Point Light

History…

The Old Mission Point Lighthouse, which is positioned precisely at the 45th parallel between the Equator and the North Pole, sits in a Township park at the end of the Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City. The lighthouse was built in 1870 and is an exact duplicate of the Mama Juda Lighthouse built on the Detroit River in 1866. The lights of the 30-ft tower were eventually replaced by automated offshore lights and the lighthouse was deactivated in 1933.

The lighthouse is now owned and maintained by Peninsula Township and the keeper’s dwelling serves as a private residence for the park manager. The park and lighthouse grounds are open to the public year around, and also contain the Hesler log home, circa 1856. There are a series of hiking trails in the woods off to the east of the lighthouse, many of them providing access to the beach.

Getting There…

Follow M-37 north out of Traverse City onto the Old Mission Peninsula. The Mission Peninsula, originally named for the Peter Dougherty Mission, divides Grand Traverse Bay into its east and west arms. At many of the higher vistas during your drive up the peninsula you can see both arms of the bay. The Traverse City area is one of the largest cherry producers in the nation and you will notice many cherry orchards on the peninsula. There are also several vineyards and wineries along the peninsula, a few of which offer tasting rooms. When you see the sign for “Old Mission” pointing to the right, continue straight to the lighthouse. Turning right will bring you into the town of Old Mission where you will find a quaint old General Store, which is worth a stop on your way back down. M-37 ends at Lighthouse Park.

An alternate route up to Old Mission is to take Peninsula Drive, which is a little longer, but a very scenic drive along the bay. If you go this way, make some time to stop and dine at either Bower’s Harbor Inn (fine dining) or the Bowery (casual pub style). They have a wonderful selection of custom entrees and local wines (try the Traverse City cherry wine). Legend has it that Bower’s Harbor Inn, the former home of lumber baron, J.W. Stickney, is haunted and periodic reports of strange noises and phenomena continue to this day. Customers have reported seeing silhouettes in period clothing and the elevator is rumored to have a mind of its own, starting and stopping at whim, even when empty.

Clues…

This box has been pulled for maintenance; replacement is anticipated in spring 2008.

Grand Traverse Lighthouse

History…

Construction on the Grand Traverse Lighthouse, which sits on a point of land between Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay known as Cat’s Head Point, was completed in 1852. The original tower and keeper’s dwelling, located south of the current structure succumbed to fire and erosion, and were replaced by the existing tower and dwelling in 1858. In 1899 a brick fog signal building was constructed on the corner of the lighthouse grounds.

The station was maintained and operated for many years by the U.S. Coast Guard, until in 1972 when the tower light was replaced by an automated beacon on a steel tower. This tower is located near the beach off the corner of the lighthouse. After the USCG vacated the premises in 1972, the buildings stood vacant for several years, and in 1985 a local group, known as the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Federation, took on the project of restoring the buildings and grounds for the purpose creating a “living lighthouse” for public enjoyment. The lighthouse, including the tower, is open to the public, and houses a museum which is open during the summer months.

The Grand Traverse Lighthouse is located north of Traverse City on the Leelanau Peninsula, within Leelanau State Park. A Michigan State Park vehicle permit is required for entry and can be purchased at the park. Leelanau State Park has a series of several miles of hiking and cross-country skiing trails if you have time for a more intensive hike after visiting the lighthouse and letterbox placed here.

Site Notes…

This box is located within Leelanau 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.

Grand Haven Pier Light

History…

The Grand Haven South Pier Lights hold the distinction of being the most photographed of all lights on the Great Lakes. Grand Haven’s first lighthouse was built in 1839 on the beach on the south side of the mouth of the Grand River, but was destroyed by high seas during a storm in 1852. In 1855 a second light and keeper’s house, the Bluff Light, was built on the bluff, east and above the site of the first lighthouse. In 1875, the original fog signal building was constructed at the end of the south pier. In 1905, the south pier was extended and the fog signal building was moved to its end. At that time, the current 52 foot-high conical inner tower light was constructed. The Bluff Light tower was subsequently removed but the keeper’s house is still used as a private residence.

The tower and fog building, each with its own light, are connected along the pier and to the shore by a long catwalk, a remnant of the days when keepers would have to make their way between the two structures despite crashing waves that often washed over the piers. Grand Haven and St. Joseph boast the only remaining two-pier range light systems with both towers and catwalks still intact.

The Grand Haven South Pier Lighthouse is an operating lighthouse at the end of the pier, which is an extension of the Grand Haven boardwalk. Because it is an operating lighthouse, the inside is not open to the public, but visitors can walk out onto the pier and up and around the lighthouse. The pier is open to the public from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. year round, but weather conditions can make the pier unsafe for pedestrians during winter months, storm conditions and high winds. During summer months, a walk along the pier is a favorite activity for tourists, photographers and local residents alike, with sunset hours being a particularly busy time of day.

Clues…

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