lighthouse

August 7th is National Lighthouse Day!

Posted on August 7, 2025August 7, 2025 by farlane

National Lighthouse Day is an un-official celebration of lighthouses and the commitment and service of those who tended America’s lights for generations. It’s an especially big deal in Michigan because we are home to more lighthouses than any other state in the country, with over 120 lighthouses keeping watch along the 3,200 miles of Great Lakes shoreline!!

The American Lighthouse Foundation explains that the 1789 Act for Establishment and support of Lighthouse, Beacons, Buoys, and Public Piers enabled a huge amount of commerce by guaranteeing that lighthouses and other marine safety infrastructure would be funded nationally. National Lighthouse Day was officially celebrated on August 7, 1989 to mark the 200th anniversary signing, but Congress has yet to officially name it a national holiday.

Brian took the above shot of the Grand Haven Lighthouse earlier this year & the one below back in June of 2020 – love the way the sun lights the light! See his latest on Flickr.

…and learn about many more Michigan lighthouses on Michigan in Pictures!

Grand Haven Pier Sunset by Brian Ertl

2025 Chicago to Mackinac Race

Posted on July 15, 2025 by farlane

Chicago to Mac Sailing Race at Mackinac Island by Stephen R. Cloutier

The Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac starts Friday morning (July 18). The Chicago to Mac is the longest annual freshwater sailing race in the world, spanning 333 statute miles from the start at the Chicago Yacht Club, up the western shore of Lake Michigan, passing under the Mackinac Bridge to finish at Mackinac Island. They explain that:

…the race’s unpredictable weather and shifting winds on Lake Michigan make it a supreme test of sailing skill, rivaling many offshore ocean races. What first began in 1898 with just five boats has now evolved into a world-class sporting event. The origins of the Race to Mackinac date back to 1898, when Joseph Myers designed two fin-keel sloops, Siren and Vanenna. These vessels sparked a competition between their owners, George Peate of Siren and W.R. Crawford of Vanenna, and after three races in June of 1898, Vanenna remained undefeated. This prompted the idea of a unique, challenging race – one that would forever change the history of sailing.

Lots more on the Race to Mackinac website. If you click the pic above, you can see more of Stephen’s photos. For sure follow him on Instagram for his latest! Also more about Round Island lighthouse on Michigan in Pictures!

Chicago to Mac at Mackinac Bridge by Stephen R. Cloutier

Defending Frankfort Lighthouse

Posted on June 25, 2025 by farlane

View from the top of Frankfort Lighthouse by SueFi Photography

Longtime Michigan in Pictures contributor SueFi Photography shared a bunch of photos related to the recent restoration & preservation of the Frankfort Lighthouse after repeated vandalism incidents:

Erin Griebe, the chairperson of the Frankfort Lighthouse Restoration Project, says volunteers first noticed bullet holes in the lamp room last fall. “That’s very expensive glass to replace. It’s all custom because this is a very old historic building, and once the integrity of the glass is disrupted with bullet holes, you have to make those repairs,” Griebe told News 8 affiliate UpNorthLive.

“It’s just years and years of build up and paint and, you know, if we’re going to spend all this money, donated money to entirely clean this down to the bare metal and then restore it to pristine condition, is this just going to happen again?” Ketz said.

The restoration project was estimated to cost $1.1 million in 2022. Griebe already knows the costs will surpass that estimate and wants to avoid any other unnecessary work. “We are hopeful that by raising awareness, people will become less likely to tag the lighthouse, and for the individuals taking shots at it will also think twice now that the community at large is more aware,” she told News 8.

Get more information and donate to the Frankfort Lighthouse Restoration Project on their website!

Here’s a bunch more photos from Sue and you can see a whole lot more views of the lighthouse, Frankfort & everywhere at SueFi Photography on Facebook!

Michigan making a run at 100

Posted on June 19, 2025June 19, 2025 by farlane

Sea and Sky by Walter E. Elliot

mLive’s Mark Torregrossa shares that a heat dome will cover much of Michigan beginning Saturday that is expected to keep temps in the 90s until at least next Thursday!! Mark shares that Michigan hasn’t hit 100 degrees since 2012 since our highest heat in recent years has been coming from the northwest:

This won’t be the case with the weekend’s and next week’s heat. The coming heat is going to build in from the southeast. This means what should be the hottest corner of Michigan will be the hottest. When all of the concrete and pavement of southeast Michigan gets hot it can get really hot.

It will get really hot. Detroit, Ann Arbor and Monroe will make a run at 100 degrees. If so it would be the hottest temperatures in those cities since 2012. (see the temperature map below)

Walter took this yesterday in Grand Haven as a storm rolled across Lake Michigan, and I’ve shared a couple more sizzling shots! See many more at Images by Walter E. Elliot on Facebook and view & purchase his work on his website.

Happy Birthday Joel!

Posted on February 27, 2025February 27, 2025 by farlane

Michigan & Trumbull by Joel Dinda

Today is longtime Michigan in Pictures photographer & supporter Joel Dinda’s birthday so be sure to wish him a happy one! When I looked through the many photos from Joel I featured over the years, I found two that I used to wish a happy birthday to St Helena Lighthouse in the Straits of Mackinac & also from my post celebrating 100 years of Tiger Stadium. While the article I link to is gone, you can check it out on the Wayback Machine!

See the latest from Joel on his Flickr and also in our Michigan in Pictures Facebook group!

St Helena Light by Joel Dinda

Detroit River Lighthouse

Posted on February 11, 2025 by farlane

Detroit River Lighthouse by James Marvin Phelps

Yesterday on his excellent photography blog James shared some photos & information about the Detroit River Lighthouse:

…also known as the Bar Point Shoal Light, has guided vessels navigating the treacherous waters between Lake Erie and the Detroit River since its completion in 1885. Located about a mile offshore near the mouth of the river, the lighthouse replaced a series of ineffective lightships that had struggled to withstand the region’s harsh conditions. Constructed of steel and concrete, the tower was built to endure strong currents and ice floes, making it one of the most resilient navigational beacons in the Great Lakes. Over the years, the lighthouse transitioned from a manually operated station to an automated one in 1979, eliminating the need for resident keepers. Despite its automation, the Detroit River Light remains an important part of Great Lakes maritime history, symbolizing the rich heritage of shipping and navigation in the region.

Here’s a couple more shots of the light by James. See the latest & view and purchase his work at: https://www.jamesmarvinphelps.com/

Lighting the way to better driving

Posted on February 4, 2025February 4, 2025 by farlane

Pothole Lighthouse by Tim Webb

Our friends at the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association share: And now for something completely different: A new initiative to highlight the problem of potholes. Lighthouses are being trialled at night to warn unsuspecting motorists.

😆 No lies detected! See more of the great pics they share in our Michigan in Picture group on Facebook & for sure visit their website to learn more about this champion for Great Lakes heritage!

I don’t think the lighthouse above is based on a Michigan one, so here’s a shot of Point Betsie on Lake Michigan GLLKA shared recently by Ross Ellet! More funny business on Michigan in Pictures.

Winter Sunrise At Point Betsie by Ross Ellet

Frigid Sunrise at Wawatam Light

Posted on January 13, 2025January 13, 2025 by farlane

Frigid Sunrise at Wawatam Light by Robert F Carter

Pure Michigan shares that Wawatam Lighthouse started life in 1998 as a Michigan Welcome Center travel icon at Monroe, Michigan. In 2004, the Monroe Welcome Center was being revamped and the lighthouse was put up for relocation. The City of St. Ignace was the lucky recipient and the structure was trucked north in five pieces. It stayed on the Chief Wawatam Dock for a time, awaiting the construction of its new platform … The Wawatam Lighthouse beacon was first lit on August 20, 2006. Visible for more than 13 miles out over Lake Huron, it is now an official aid-to-navigation. The 250 millimeter Fresnel lens casts its light in a 152 degree arc.

Robert writes “Four of us from my camera club decided to visit Michigan’s U.P. in search of the Snowy Owl. We left early and before we got up to the hunting grounds, we stopped by St. Ignace to see the sunrise. This area of Lake Huron was not frozen over yet even though it was about -5 degrees this morning. One did not stay outside the car very long with the blowing breeze.”

See more in Robert’s Lighthouses gallery on Flickr & see lots more lighthouses on Michigan in Pictures.

The Ghost of Old Presque Isle Lighthouse

Posted on October 29, 2024 by farlane

The Ghost of Old Presque Isle Lighthouse by Absolute Michigan

The Lightkeeper’s Ghost tells the tale of George and Loraine Parris who became the beloved caretakers of the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse in the 1970s, running the small museum and giving tours. George was something of a trickster and delighted in playing harmless tricks on visitors. He passed away in 1992, but the story doesn’t end there.

As Loraine was driving to the property on Grand Lake Road, which had a clear view of the lighthouse, she saw that it was illuminated.

She knew that the Coast Guard had rendered this impossible, but there it was before her. By the time that she arrived at the keeper’s house, though, everything was dark. The next day she climbed the steps of the lighthouse to make sure that everything was in order, and she saw that there was no way that someone could have turned the light on. Yet, this same pattern repeated itself again and again. Loraine never said anything about it because she thought that people might think her crazy.

Soon other folks began to see the light, however – a yellowish glow was reported from the lighthouse by several people. Some thought that the light had been put back into operation, but others drove out for a closer look, only to find that it was dark once again.

It was even spotted by members of the Air National Guard, who flew a few missions over the area, and by the Coast Guard, who investigated to make sure that no one could fire the light back up. It had been permanently disabled years before, so there was no way that the light could be shining. Yet it was. Many people believe that the spirit of playful old George is occasionally paying a visit to the lighthouse that he loved so much, just to let folks know that he’s doing just fine and to keep alive the stories of the lighthouse that he loved so much.

Read more about the history of the lighthouse from TexasEscapes.com and learn more about the light and visiting from the Presque Isle Township Museum Society.

I made the photo art for this from an old photo of Old Presque Isle Lighthouse. I do stuff like that and also websites through Absolute Michigan & Leelanau.com. so if you ever need that, holler!

Slow Burn Sunset

Posted on July 26, 2024 by farlane

Slow Burn Sunset in Muskegon by Walter E. Elliott

mLive meteorologist Mark Torregrossa shares that a large plume of wildfire smoke will be impacting our weather (and sunsets) over the weekend:

While it looks like a dry weekend that should be sunny, there will likely be areas of high-level wildfire smoke. The exact timing of the smoke will be difficult. It does look like some time Saturday will have a thick blanket of smoke high in the sky. It won’t mean much to the big picture of the weather other than keeping our temperatures out of the high-80s.

One thing is sure this weekend. Our humidity will be fairly low. We can see that with the morning low temperatures. Saturday morning we will drop into the 50s.

I think I can live with that forecast!!

Walter took this photo last Saturday. Follow his Facebook for more and view & purchase his work on his website.

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