Michigan Lights - Alpena

The Alpena light.  9/16/2019 dwm photo

The third light at Alpena is the one with the most staying power.  The first, built in 1877, was consumed in a 1888 fire.

A replacement was pieced together with parts from other lights, but it didn't beat the test of time.

According to the pictures and history at LighthouseFriends, all three were roughly the same size and shape.

The new light, built of metal in 1914, has a round watch room under under an 8-sided lantern.

The light was a solid red beam at first, then changed to a white light that switched on then off for a second each time.

The Alpena Light guides boats into Thunder Bay.
9/16/2019  dwm photo

The last tweak was in 1950 when it was painted red to stand out during the day to boats on the water.

That same decade, after the Soviets launched their Sputnik satellite, locals gave the name to their light because of its similar shape.  Others simply call it "Little Red."

The light is easy to find.  Highway 23 has a 90 degree turn near a city park and parking lot near a long pier on which you can walk until it stops at the end of the river channel across from the light.