Pointe aux Barques Light, at the northeastern tip of Michigan’s Thumb on Lake Huron, has guided ships at a hazardous turning point near shallow reefs since the first station was authorized in 1847. The original lighthouse was occupied in 1848 by keeper Peter Shook, whose death led to the appointment of his widow, Catherine Shook, as Michigan’s first female lighthouse keeper. After deterioration, the present tower and attached dwelling were built in 1857. Despite later additions, upgrades, and eventual automation, wrecks continued nearby, prompting a Life-Saving Service station in 1876. Today the complex preserves its lighthouse, historic buildings, and maritime museum while the light remains active.