Old Mackinac Point Light is a lighthouse that is no longer in use. It is located at the northern end of the Lower Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan. The lighthouse is part of Fort Michilimackinac State Park in the village of Mackinaw City, which is just east of the Mackinac Bridge.
The lighthouse was built in 1892 near the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. It was no longer used in 1957 and is now a museum.
History
Before European explorers arrived, the Straits of Mackinac were a major danger for people traveling by water. Because of this, the Ojibwa people used fires along the shore to help guide travelers.
In the early 1800s, as more large ships traveled from Lake Huron into the Straits, the first step to improve safety was taken in 1829 with the building of Bois Blanc Lighthouse. This lighthouse helped ships turn west into the Straits and warned them about shallow areas and rocks near the island.
In 1832, Congress approved Stephen Pleasonton’s idea to place a lightship on Waugoshance Shoal to mark the western entrance to the Straits. However, in 1838, Lieutenant James T. Homans said the lightship was not good enough. He suggested a better solution for Waugoshance Shoal and a light on the point west of Mackinaw Harbor. His ideas were not followed. In 1854, the Lighthouse Administration decided to build a light at McGulpin Point, about 3 miles west of Old Point Mackinaw, even though local residents had other suggestions.
In 1889, the United States Lighthouse Board realized that Mackinaw Point was a better location. At first, they wanted to build a fog signal there. When asking Congress for money, they requested funds for both a fog signal and a first-class lighthouse. Congress only approved money for a steam-powered fog signal. The fog signal was built in 1890 and proved very important for ships navigating the often foggy Straits. During one very humid two-week period, workers at the Old Mackinac Point signal burned 52 cords of wood to keep the foghorn working.
The lighthouse was built after the fog signal. In March 1891, Congress finally approved funding for a light station. Construction began in 1892, with the tower and keeper’s house built using Cream City brick and Indiana Limestone. The tower was 45 feet tall, had a circular iron gallery, and a prefabricated octagonal iron lantern. The lighthouse used a fourth-order Fresnel Lens and could be seen up to 14 nautical miles away. This helped railroad ferries, such as SS Chief Wawatam and SS Sainte Marie, travel between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace.
The completion of the Mackinac Bridge in 1957 made the lighthouse unnecessary, as the bridge had its own lights for navigation.
In 1960, the lighthouse property was bought by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission and added to Fort Michilimackinac State Park. The lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 and is also a Michigan Historic Landmark. A historical marker on site explains that the lighthouse was built to help ships navigate the busy Straits of Mackinac. The fog signal was built in 1890, and the lighthouse was completed in 1892. It was used until 1958 and now serves as a maritime museum.
In 2000, major restoration work began to make the lighthouse look like it did around 1910. The lighthouse complex, including the keeper’s quarters and tower, was reopened to the public in 2004 as part of the Fort Michilimackinac complex. The original Fresnel lens is on display. From 2018 onward, National Restoration Inc. worked on repairing the building’s exterior and interior. The castle-style design is unique to the Great Lakes region.
After these restorations, the first floor of the lighthouse is fully accessible and includes period furnishings and exhibits that let visitors try nighttime navigation skills, light a miniature Fresnel lens, and wear lighthouse keeper clothing. Tours of the tower and lantern room are led by historic interpreters. An admission fee is required to visit.
Current status and getting there
The park is next to the Mackinac Bridge and provides a clear view of the bridge and boat traffic. To enter, visitors go through the 1907 Fog Signal Building, which contains a museum store. A fee is required for admission. Pets are allowed.
The tower is open to the public.
The lighthouse is located within Michilimackinac State Park, a few hundred feet east of the Mackinac Bridge and the Colonial Michilimackinac Visitors Center. Currently, the lighthouse is a museum managed by the Mackinac Parks Commission (archived 2006-08-13 at the Wayback Machine).
Because of its location near the bridge and its attractive design, the lighthouse is often photographed, drawn, or used in needlepoint art. Historical photographs of the lighthouse are featured on the Mackinac Island State Park Commission website.
An exciting but costly option is to rent a seaplane for a tour of the Mackinac Straits and surrounding area.