 |
| The rear range light at Grand Haven. 9/22/23 dwm |
Back on September 18, 2017, our fifth stop of the day was the Grand Haven lighthouse in Michigan.
At the time, I didn't know the reason I couldn't get close to the lights and didn't notice the missing catwalk. My blog from that visit indicates the lights and the catwalk connecting them were being repaired.
Five years later there was no construction fence and open access to the piers on either side of the Grand River.
 |
| The catwalk reaches from shore to the end of the pier. dwm |
After I dropped my wife off in Grand Haven's downtown shopping district, I drove up the river then took the bridge around to the Ferrysburg side of the river, where I found a place with a great view..
I parked in the fisherman's parking lot, grabbed the camera and started walking.
The two surviving lights date back to 1904.
A light was installed and keeper hired in 1839 because the Grand River was the biggest river with the best access to and from Lake Michigan.
Improvements, changes, and updates happened through the years, including an elevated walkway, completed in 1871.
 t |
| The main pier light was moved to the head. |
In 1905, the lens from the old lantern was put in the newer tower and by 1906, the two lights were in the position they enjoy today.
When I reached the end of the fisherman's pier I saw the prow in front of the pierhead lighthouse to protect it from large waves.
The pierhead light is unimpressive in size but its history and strength underscore its value and importance for more than 100 years.
It was nice getting a closer look at the Grand Haven lights. The trip around to Ferrysburg and fisherman's pier was too far to leave time to walk the pier holding these lights but I'm glad to have better pictures and memories of two beautiful lights.
All photos of Grand Haven lighthouses taken 9/22/2023 by David Mossner
Comments
Post a Comment