The Eagle River Light is a lighthouse that is no longer in use. It is located at the mouth of the Eagle River in the community of Eagle River on the Keweenaw Peninsula in the state of Michigan.

History

In 1845, the discovery of the "Cliff Lode" led to copper mining in Eagle River, making it a busy port city that competed with Copper Harbor as the largest boom town in the Keweenaw. On September 28, 1850, the United States Congress provided $6,500 to build a lighthouse at Eagle River. A site was chosen that year, but it took until 1853 for the Michigan Legislature to gain ownership of the land. Construction of the lighthouse was completed in 1857.

The lighthouse was built on a sandy hill overlooking Lake Superior on the west side of the river. The tower was 24 feet (7.3 meters) tall, but its high location allowed the sixth-order Fresnel lens to be seen up to ten nautical miles away.

Cracks at the base of the lighthouse were noted in 1867, and the structure was at risk of collapsing. In 1869, Congress allocated $14,000 to build a replacement, but the funds were withdrawn in 1870 due to a lack of money in the federal budget.

After copper mining in the Keweenaw area declined, the boom in Eagle River ended. The main mine, the Cliff Mine, closed in 1873, and the port became inactive. Although the harbor fell into disrepair, the lighthouse remained the only landmark between the Keweenaw Waterway and Eagle Harbor.

The lighthouse was repaired and partially rebuilt in 1884. By 1892, it was suggested that the lighthouse be replaced with a new one a few miles east at Five Mile Point. In 1893, Congress approved plans for the Sand Hills Lighthouse but did not provide funding for construction. This situation continued for many years. The Eagle River Light Station was closed in 1908, and its buildings were sold at auction that year to John Vertin, a merchant from Calumet. A replacement lighthouse was not built until 1917, after at least ten ships were lost near the nearby Sawtooth Reef.

In the 1990s, the Eagle River Lighthouse was sold by the Vertin family to Edward “Bud” Cole, a historic preservationist whose family has lived in the Keweenaw since the 1850s. Cole also owns other historic buildings in Eagle River and over 4,000 acres of forestland that includes three miles of the Eagle River. He purchased the Sandhills Lighthouse in March 2019.

The Eagle River Lighthouse is available for rent on Homeaway.

Specialized Further reading

LaFave, Michael (Mackinac Center). "Privatization of Lighthouses": An article that discusses the privatization of lighthouses.