Whitefish Point Light
Vintage image of Whitefish Point Light station
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| Location | Whitefish Bay |
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| Coordinates | 46°46′14″N 84°57′24″W / 46.77056°N 84.95667°WCoordinates: 46°46′14″N 84°57′24″W / 46.77056°N 84.95667°W |
| Year first lit | 1849 |
| Automated | 1971 |
| Deactivated | N/A |
| Foundation | Pier |
| Construction | Steel |
| Tower shape | Lattice Tower |
| Height | 76 feet (23 m) |
| Focal height | 80 feet (24 m) |
| Original lens | 3rd order Fresnel Lens |
| Current lens | Light-emitting diode (LED) lantern |
| Intensity | RACON: O (– – –). Standby light of reduced intensity. |
| Range | 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) |
| ARLHS number | USA-887 |
| USCG number |
7-14530 |
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Whitefish Point Light
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| NRHP Reference # | 73000947 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 28, 1973 |
| Designated MSHS | February 22, 1974 |
7-14530
The Whitefish Point Light, a lighthouse in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, is the oldest operating light on Lake Superior. It is arguably the most important light on Lake Superior. All vessels entering and leaving Lake Superior must pass the light. It stands on the treacherous southern shoreline of Lake Superior known as the "Graveyard of the Great Lakes" in an area with more shipwrecks than any other area of the lake.
Construction on the first light began in 1847, and the lighthouse was said to resemble that at Old Presque Isle Light. First lit in 1849, it was one of the first lighthouses on the shores of Lake Superior. It is the oldest active light on the lake. It stands at the point of land that marks the course change for vessels from the southern coast of Lakes Superior known as the "Graveyard of the Great Lakes" to the Soo Locks. All vessels entering or leaving Lake Superior must past Whitefish Point. Whitefish Point Light is arguably the most important light on Lake Superior. The Whitefish Point area has the most shipwrecks of all areas in Lake Superior.
The original structure was outfitted with Lewis lamps, which were thereafter upgraded to a fourth order Fresnel lens. The current structure, while modern looking, is a Civil War relic. Built in 1861, the iron skeletal steel framework was designed to relieve stress caused by high winds. A similar design is used at Manitou Island Light in Lake Superior. It was equipped with a third order Fresnel lens.
In 1968, the light was replaced with a DCB-224 aero beacon manufactured by the Carlisle & Finch Company. According to Volume 7 of the U.S. Coast Guard light list, it was visible for a distance of 26 nautical miles (48 km; 30 mi) in clear weather conditions, and had two unevenly spaced eclipses, and two flashes within every 20 second period. Putting aside questions of nostalgia, aesthetics, or appreciation for the engineering of a bygone era (as exemplified by the Fresnel lens), this iteration of lighthouse illumination was itself incredibly effective, and an endangered remnant of another bygone era.
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Wikipedia