Muskegon Pier Light

Last updated
Muskegon Pier Light
MuskegonPierLight.jpg
Muskegon Pier Lighthouse
Muskegon Pier Light
Location Muskegon, Michigan
Coordinates 43°13′35.952″N86°20′28.544″W / 43.22665333°N 86.34126222°W / 43.22665333; -86.34126222 Coordinates: 43°13′35.952″N86°20′28.544″W / 43.22665333°N 86.34126222°W / 43.22665333; -86.34126222 [1]
Tower
Constructed1851
FoundationPier
ConstructionCast iron
Height48 feet (15 m)
ShapeConical
MarkingsRed
HeritageNational Register of Historic Places listed place  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Light
First lit1903
Focal height50 feet (15 m)
Lensfourth order Fresnel lens (Sautter & Cie) [2] (original), 12-inch (300 mm) acrylic [2] (current)
Range6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) [1]
Characteristic red flash every 4s
Muskegon South Pierhead Light
ArchitectU.S. Lighthouse Establishment
MPS Light Stations of the United States MPS
NRHP reference No. 06000036 [3]
Added to NRHPFebruary 14, 2006

The Muskegon South Pierhead Light or Muskegon Pier Light is a lighthouse located on the channel in the harbor of Muskegon, Michigan.

Contents

This site is accessible to the public by walking through the pedestrian walkway between the NOAA and USCG stations. The lighthouse is available for tower tours during the summer months between Memorial Day and Halloween weekends. Up-to-date hours are available at www.muskegonlights.org

History

MuskegonLightHouse.jpg

Built in 1851, Muskegon's first lighthouse was a brick structure. This Lightkeeper's dwelling was located at the intersection of Beach & Fulton, near the Muskegon channel, and was topped with a wooden light tower in its center. Unfortunately, no known photographs of this structure exist. In 1870, a new one and half story wooden-frame Lightkeeper's dwelling was built and painted white. It was constructed with a short, square wooden tower on the front side of the structure, rising above its gabled roof. Replacing the deteriorating 1851 lighthouse, this structure was built on the same parcel of land and topped with a cast-iron lantern room. The next year, a beacon light was built at the end of the pier, extending out from the channel on the south side with an elevated catwalk. As time went on, the piers were extended even further, and a fog horn structure was built with an elevated catwalk to connect the beacon light to the fog horn in 1899.

The existing Muskegon South Pierhead Light conical steel tower replaced the wooden rear range beacon light in 1903, utilizing the original, historic lantern room from the previous 1870 lighthouse structure.

In 1927, construction began on the arrowhead harbor, which lasted several years. The Muskegon South Breakwater Light was temporary established in 1929 and the steel, pyramidal-designed tower and fog horn were completed in 1930 to mark the outer end of the breakwall. In 1931, the Muskegon South Pierhead Light fog horn, catwalk and extension were removed and the piers were shortened, leaving the pier at the length visible today.

The lights were declared excess property by the U.S. Government in 2008, and a notice was sent out nationwide, seeking a new caretaker. In 2010, after completing a lengthy application process, the Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy (MLC) was awarded possession of both the Muskegon South Pierhead Light (1903) and the Muskegon South Breakwater Light (1930) through the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. With the help of local volunteers, the Muskegon South Pierhead Light began limited public openings in 2013, and by 2015, regularly scheduled public tours were offered.

Restoration, preservation and public accessibility efforts are ongoing at both the Muskegon South Pierhead Light and Muskegon South Breakwater Light, in addition to the Alpena Lighthouse.

Description

The Muskegon South Pierhead Light is a round cast iron tower located at the end of the southern pier. The entire lighthouse is painted red. [4]

See also

Muskegon Breakwater Light

Related Research Articles

Frankfort Light Lighthouse in Michigan, United States

The Frankfort Light is a lighthouse located on the north breakwater in the harbor in Frankfort, Michigan. The current light was constructed in 1912 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Ludington Light Lighthouse in Michigan, United States

The Ludington Light is a 57-foot (17 m) tall steel-plated lighthouse in Ludington, Michigan, which lies along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan, at the end of the breakwater on the Pere Marquette Harbor. Given its location on the northern breakwater where the Pere Marquette River meets Lake Michigan, it is sometimes known as the Ludington North Breakwater Light. Underlying the building itself is a prow-like structure, which is designed to break waves.

Charlevoix South Pier Light Station Lighthouse in Michigan, United States

The Charlevoix South Pier Light Station is located on Lake Michigan at the entrance to Lake Charlevoix in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan at the end of the south pier/breakwater of the channel leading to Round Lake in the city of Charlevoix.

Kenosha North Pier Light Lighthouse in Wisconsin, United States

The Kenosha North Pier lighthouse or Kenosha Light is a lighthouse located near Kenosha in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. "A typical 'Lake Michigan red tower'", it is a sibling to the Milwaukee Pierhead Light. This light was built in 1906 as a replacement for the old Kenosha Light. It was listed on the National register of Historic Places in 2008.

South Haven Light Lighthouse in Michigan, United States

The South Haven South Pierhead Light is a lighthouse in Michigan, at the entrance to the Black River on Lake Michigan. The station was lit in 1872, and is still operational. The tower is a shortened version of the Muskegon South Pierhead Light, and replaced an 1872 wooden tower. The catwalk is original and still links the tower to shore: it is one of only four that survive in the State of Michigan.

Alpena Light Lighthouse in Michigan, United States

The Alpena Light, also known as the Thunder Bay River Lighthouse or Alpena Breakwater Light, is a lighthouse on Lake Huron near Alpena, Michigan. Standing on the north breakwater of Alpena Harbor, the light marks the entrance to the Thunder Bay River from Thunder Bay. The current lighthouse, built in 1914, replaced earlier wooden structures which had been in use since 1877 and 1888. The current light is a weather-protected structure on a steel frame. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, and the state inventory list the same year.

Milwaukee Pierhead Light Lighthouse

The Milwaukee Pierhead Light is an active lighthouse located in the Milwaukee harbor, just south of downtown. This aid to navigation is a 'sister' of the Kenosha North Pier Light.

Milwaukee Breakwater Light Lighthouse

The Milwaukee Breakwater lighthouse was built in 1926 in the harbor of Milwaukee in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin to mark the entrance to the harbor. One of the last fully enclosed breakwater lighthouses in the Great Lakes, the structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

Manistee Pierhead lights Lighthouses in Michigan, United States

The Manistee Pierhead lights are a pair of active aids to navigation located on the north and south pier in the harbor of Manistee, Michigan, "Lake Michigan’s Victorian Port City."

Menominee Pier Light Lighthouse in Michigan, United States

The Menominee North Pier lighthouse is located in the harbor of Menominee, Michigan. The station was first lit in 1877. The current structure and its still operational light was lit in 1927, and automated in 1972. It is also sometimes called the "Menominee (Marinette) North Pierhead Light".

Muskegon Breakwater Light Lighthouse in Michigan, United States

The Muskegon Breakwater Light or South Breakwater Light is a light located on the end of the south arm of the Muskegon breakwater surrounding the mouth of the Muskegon channel in Muskegon, Michigan.

Wood Islands Lighthouse Lighthouse

The Wood Islands Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse built by Joseph Tomlinson III situated on the southeastern shore of Prince Edward Island, located in the community of Wood Islands. The lighthouse is a well-preserved three storey tower with an adjoining 1+12-storey keeper's residence. The white shingled tower is topped by a red iron lantern, which is enclosed by a white railing on the observation deck. The red roof of the dwelling provides a striking contrast to the white shingled exterior of the dwelling.

Port Washington Breakwater Light Lighthouse on Lake Michigan in Port Washington, Wisconsin, United States

The Port Washington Breakwater Light is a lighthouse built in 1935 at the entrance to the Port Washington, Wisconsin harbor on Lake Michigan. The second tower at this location, it remains an active aid to navigation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.

Two Rivers Light Lighthouse

The Two Rivers Light is a lighthouse formerly located at the harbor entrance to Two Rivers, Wisconsin. It is now located in a museum in the city.

The Sheboygan Lighthouse stood on North Point in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Improvements to the harbor rendered it obsolete, and it was deactivated in the early 20th century. The much altered second light survives as a private residence.

Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light Lighthouse

The Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light is a lighthouse on the south breakwater of the Duluth Ship Canal in Duluth, Minnesota, United States. It forms a range with the Duluth South Breakwater Inner Light to guide ships into the canal from Lake Superior.

Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights Lighthouses in Michigan, United States

The Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights are a pair of lighthouses located on the west pier at the entry to Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge, in Grand Marais, Michigan. They were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights Lighthouse in Michigan, United States

The St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights are lighthouses in Michigan at the entrance to the St. Joseph River on Lake Michigan. The station was built in 1832 with the current lights built in 1906 and 1907; they were decommissioned in 2005.

Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light Lighthouse in Michigan, United States

The Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light, also known as the Portage Entry Light, is a lighthouse located at the south end of breakwater at mouth of the Portage River in Torch Lake Township. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

Keweenaw Waterway Upper Entrance Light Lighthouse in Michigan, United States

The Keweenaw Waterway Upper Entrance Light is a lighthouse located at the north end of the Portage River in McLain State Park in Hancock Township, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

References

  1. 1 2 Light List, Volume VII, Great Lakes (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard. 2010. p. 174.
  2. 1 2 Terry Pepper. "Seeing The Light - Muskegon Pier Lighthouse". terrypepper.com. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
  3. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  4. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the United States: Michigan's Western Lower Peninsula". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.