40 Mile Point Lighthouse,
Lake Huron, Michigan
The 40 Mile Point Light is located on the upper Lower Peninsula near Rogers City, Michigan. The location is aptly named, being situated 40 miles southeast of Old Mackinac Point and 40 northwest of Thunder Bay. The lighthouse station was completed in 1896.
The lighthouse is now owned and cared for lovingly by the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse Society. When I visited the site in June 2003, they had much of the original solid oak flooring and trim refinished to a glowing bright blonde hue. Unlike many working lighthouses, on this tour they actually take you up into the light, and the guide opens up the Fresnel lens to show you how its constructed (the light is off during daylight hours). The actual electric element is surprisingly small, a testament to the ingenious design of the Fresnel lens' magnifying power.
As I was climbing the tower for my tour of the light, the people coming down remarked: "Excellent guide up there." After hearing his brief, interesting talk, I heartily agreed.
A short trail to the beach takes you to the remains of the steamer Joseph S. Fay, which was shipwrecked there in October 1905, a vivid reminder of just why this lifesaving station was built.
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