Big Sable Point Light

Big Sable Point Light was established on a hazardous stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline where repeated shipwrecks, including twelve in 1855, underscored the need for a beacon. Built in 1867 after federal funding and a state land transfer, the 112-foot lighthouse became one of Michigan’s taller lights and remained active. Weather damage led to its steel encasement in 1900, giving it its familiar white, black-banded appearance. Its remote setting delayed road access and modern utilities, and automation in 1966 ended a century of resident keepers. Despite erosion and later vandalism, preservation efforts restored the station, which still serves as a working landmark.

Michigan · United States