The Huron Spirit returns home after exchanging pilots with the downbound Hanse Gate.
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The waves break toward shore as another snow squall approaches the Coppermine Point Lighthouse (1910) on Lake Superior's Hibbard Bay. It's early January and without ice cover on the lake, the warmth from the water rises and mixes with the cold air bringing lots of snow. Lake Superior is the largest fresh water lake in the world. It is the coldest, deepest and highest elevated of the five Great Lakes and contains about 10% of the world's fresh water.
The lighthouse, which was originally situated on Batchawana Bay to the east, was deactivated in the early 60's and moved to its present location. Travelling north on Highway 17 west of Sault Ste. Marie between the Pancake River and Alona Bay, you can see the lighthouse perched on a hill some 400 feet off the road.
Still standing to this day, it has fallen into considerable and perhaps irreversible disrepair.
Tags: Coppermine Point Lighthouse Lake Superior Ontario Highway 17 Hibbard Bay
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A heavy ice fog blanketed the open waters of the Detroit River and Belle Isle on a bitter cold morning February 12/ 2014. When the fog lifted, Belle Isle was a winter wonderland. The William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse sits on the east end of the island.
Belle Isle, officially Belle Isle State Park as of November 12, 2013, is a 982-acre island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the State of Michigan as a state park. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge. Prior to its transfer to the State in late 2013, it was the largest city-owned island city park in the United States and the third largest island in the Detroit River after Grosse Ile and Fighting Island.
Tags: detroit river belle isle william livingstone memorial lighthouse
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A heavy ice fog blanketed the open waters of the Detroit River and Belle Isle on a bitter cold morning February 12/ 2014. When the fog lifted, Belle Isle was a winter wonderland. The William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse sits on the east end of the island.
Belle Isle, officially Belle Isle State Park as of November 12, 2013, is a 982-acre island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada, managed by the State of Michigan as a state park. It is connected to the rest of Detroit, Michigan by the MacArthur Bridge. Prior to its transfer to the State in late 2013, it was the largest city-owned island city park in the United States and the third largest island in the Detroit River after Grosse Ile and Fighting Island.
Tags: detroit river belle isle william livingstone memorial lighthouse
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The Fort Gratiot Lighthouse in Port Huron stands guard at the mouth of the St. Clair River.
July 1, 2011
The Fort Gratiot Lighthouse is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Michigan and was the first lighthouse on Lake Huron. It is named for Fort Gratiot, a military outpost that was located south of the lighthouse.
As early as 1823, the U.S. government recognized the importance of protecting commerce on Lake Huron and on March 3 of that year, Congress appropriated $3,500.00 to construct a "lighthouse near Fort Gratiot in Michigan Territory." Winslow Lewis, a Massachusetts contractor specializing in lighthouses, was awarded the contract and in turn subcontracted Daniel Warren of Rochester, New York to build the light tower and keeper's dwelling.
On April 2, 1825, Congress appropriated an additional $5,000 for the project and on August 8 it was completed. The tower rose 32 feet above ground level, was 18 feet in diameter at the bottom, and 9 feet at the top. It was the first lighthouse constructed on Michigan shores. The new lighthouse was found to be to be built not according to original specifications and was poorly located. It eventually collapsed during a storm and was replaced with a brick structure 86 feet tall.
A brick duplex was added for the keeper and his assistant in 1874. The structures still stands today.
In 1931, three acres of land adjoining Fort Gratiot Lighthouse was purchased by the Government and on April 13, 1932 the new and present Coast Guard Station opened in Port Huron. Originally the Station consisted of a main building, boathouse, and lookout tower, with crew quarters, breakwater and fog signal added later.
The lighthouse was automated in 1933, with a range of 18 miles. In 1971 the Michigan Historical Commission designated the Fort Gratiot Light an historic site.
In 2004, USCG Port Huron moved into all new headquarters adjacent to the lighthouse. The lighthouse has become a museum operated by the City of Port Huron.
Tags: Fort Gratiot Lighthouse Lake Huron Port Huron Michigan
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