White River Light Station, photo by CJSmithChicago.
It’s Halloween week on Michigan in Pictures and we’ll try and feature as much Michigan spookyness as possible. Today’s story appears courtesy Still on Duty at White River Light on Absolute Michigan:
When Karen McDonnell is alone she sometimes hears footsteps on the stairway of the former White River Light. But she isn’t afraid. She says, “I like the comfort it gives me. It’s like a watchman, just making sure everything is okay before it’s too late at night.”
McDonnell is the curator of an old lighthouse that has been turned into a museum. She takes care of the light and gives tours to visitors. Sometimes early in the morning or late at night she hears what sounds like somebody climbing the stairs and walking around on the upper level. She wonders if it might be the spirit of the light’s first keeper.
When the White River Light opened in the mid-1870s, William Robinson and his wife Sarah moved in. Over the years, the English couple raised their family at Whitehall. Sarah died at a young age, but William remained the lightkeeper for 47 years. When the government forced the 87-year-old keeper to retire in 1915, William’s grandson became the next lightkeeper at White River. William helped his grandson run the light, but the rules said that only the lightkeeper and his “immediate” family could live at the lighthouse. William would have to leave. But he refused, telling his grandson, “I am not going to leave this building.” He was right. The day before he had to move out, he died. His grandson buried him in a small nearby cemetery…
Read more over on Absolute Michigan and learn more about the lighthouse at White River Light on Terry Pepper’s Seeing the Light.
Check this out background bigtacular and in Chris’s slideshow.
Michigan in Pictures 
Karen McDonnell isn’t one to brag on herself, so I would like to do it for her. Yes, she is the curator of the White River Light Station, but she is also it’s soul & lifeblood. When Karentook on the task of being “curator” the light station was in deplorable condition… nothing like the little gem found on the grounds today. She has transformed it into something totally wonderful and I am totally appreciative of her work there. Much of the physical labor that went into restoring and maintaining the light station was done by Karen, not simply hired done. This is even more remarkable when you see her… she’s a tiny little thing, but loves to talk about the White River Light Station. I met her in the summer of 2011 and was totally blown away by her story… much of which I had gotten from the Staff of the Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association (Which will supposedly begin assisting Karen with maintenance and fund-raising starting in 2012) and a little bit from Karen herself.
My hat is off to Karen McDonnell a true “keeper of the light” with all that this means. Thank you, Karen!
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Capitan William Robison was part of my family from my grandmothers side. My name is in the book and I take great pride in knowing I had a part in the history of the great white river lighthouse. I look as this a happening in our lives and will never forget my historty of my heritage
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I have pictures of William and Sarah from four visits to the lighthouse. The last time they “spoke” to me and I didn’t listen. Karen is a very good curator. Very nice to speak to as well.
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