As lighthouses go, Middle Island Light is "new," entering service in 1905. However, its important role to mariners traversing the shoals that surround the course between Thunder Bay and Presque Isle on Lake Huron cannot be overstated.

The sentinel gets its name because the island is midway between these northern Michigan landmarks. The area was considered so dangerous that the Life Saving Service built a station on the island in 1881 to help ships in distress in the area.

Plans and recommendations for the lighthouse began in 1896, but appropriations were slow in coming. Congress finally approved an appropriation in 1902, and construction began on the outbuildings, keeper's dwelling and finally the tower.

Built of unpainted buff brick, the 70-ft. tower stands on a slight rise that provided its fourth order Fresnel lens with a focal plane of 78 feet. It was officially illuminated on June 1, 1905. By 1928, the lens had been upgraded to a third order Fresnel and the fog signal upgraded with the installation of a compressed air-powered diaphone system.

When the Coast Guard assumed responsibility in 1939, the tower was painted white with a horizontal black band in the center. Sometime later, the band was painted red, as seen today.

Following automation in the late 1950s and the removal of keepers, vandals took their toll on the tower and outbuildings over the years. A group of concerned citizens in the Alpena area formed the Middle Island Lighthouse Keepers Association in 1992 with the goal of restoring and preserving the structures for future generations.

The fog signal building was its first effort to convert major structures to bed and breakfast inns. The Middle Island Bed and Breakfast opened for business in 2001. In 2003, the rustic Keeper's Lodge opened in the former keeper's dwelling. Operated by the Association, it ensures a future for the historic site.

The Friends of Middle Island Lighthouse, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation, is responsible for raising funds to restore the tower. The tower is still an active aid to navigation, operated by the Coast Guard, and only parts of the lighthouse are open to the public.

Middle Island MI Harbour Lights Great Lakes Region Item # HL320
Limited Edition of 4,500

As lighthouses go, Middle Island Light is new, entering service in 1905. However, its important role to mariners traversing the shoals that surround the co
Price: $74.00