Michigan Lights - Old Mackinac Point

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Mackinaw City, Michigan    9/20/17  dwm photo

At the very top of Michigan's lower peninsula, where the Great Lakes Huron and Michigan meet stands the Old Mackinac Point light.

It was a guide and protector to ships from 1892 to 1957 when the Mighty Mackinac Bridge was finished.

The south end of the bridge is close by.  The bridge lights meant Old Mac was no longer needed.

The Straits of Mackinac were a hazardous crossing before the big boats. The Ojibwa tribe lit fires on shore to aid navigation.

The light is made with Cream City brick
from Milwaukee, trimmed with
Indiana limestone.  (dwm photo)

Before Old Mackinac, two lights were built.  The first, Bois Blanc, was on an island east of the Straits.  In 1854, McGulpin Point was added two miles west of Mackinac Point.  As you know from the earlier blog, it closed in 1906.

The light is now part of Michilimackinac State Park and home to a maritime museum.  Since it is in Mackinaw City, it is one of Michigan's most visited lights.

During our stay, we were too busy to take in the museum or visit the light and its tower while it was open.

Walking around the light castle is impressive.  The light, shown through a fourth order Fresnel lens reached 16 miles from its spot on the point.

After a major restoration effort in 2000 returned it to its 1910 appearance, it opened to the public in 2004.

You might see this light when visiting the area to see the island and nearby attractions.

A Bright Light in the Tower.
9/20/2017   dwm photo

While walking around the picket-fenced light, I noticed the late day sun was at the perfect angle.

From my spot northeast of the house, the sun streamed through the lantern.

A couple hours later I downloaded the shots and was pleased to see the sun lined up with the tower.

Old Mackinac was the last of the lights we visited from the Indiana line to the top of the Peninsula State.

I didn't get to all of them and hope to make it back to those I missed.

But Old Mac wasn't the last of the lights.  There are lights on the Lake Huron side and more as we followed the Upper Peninsula lakeside road along Lake Michigan back to Wisconsin.  This series isn't done yet.