The Copper Harbor Lighthouse

The discovery of copper and the dangers of navigation created demand for lighthouses on Lake Superior, and the Copper Harbor lighthouse, built in 1848 and replaced by the present structure in the 1860s, was among the first beacons there. Now automated and mounted on a steel tower, its light can be seen 12.5 miles at lake level. Government lightkeepers and their families staffed the light station into the 20th century. Historical, archaeological, and architectural evidence and period room settings recreate the lighthouse as it appeared in the 1910s. As part of Fort Wilkins State Park, the Copper Harbor Lighthouse is administered by the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries in cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources. Today, museum exhibits and interpretive trails present the dangers of Lake Superior shipping and the duties and home life of lightkeepers' families, while the views remain virtually unchanged since lightkeepers and their families cared for the Copper Harbor light.

Copper Harbor, Michigan · United States