Charlevoix South Pier Light Station, Lake Michigan lighthouse in Charlevoix, United States.
The Charlevoix South Pier Light Station is a steel skeletal tower standing about 40 feet (12 m) tall at the tip of the south pier at the harbor entrance in Charlevoix, Michigan. The upper section of the tower is enclosed and houses the lens that sends red flashes across the water to guide boats through the channel.
The first lighthouse at this harbor was built in 1884 on the north pier, marking the opening of the waterway to regular boat traffic. The current tower, completed in 1948, replaced that earlier structure and reused some of its parts.
The light at the end of the south pier is a familiar sight for boaters entering Charlevoix's harbor from Lake Michigan. Locals and visitors often walk the pier to get close to the tower and watch the boat traffic passing through the narrow channel.
The tower is easy to spot from the waterfront, and walking out along the south pier brings you right up to the base of the structure. The pier can be slippery when wet or windy, so it is worth checking the weather before heading out.
Although the tower looks like a mid-20th century structure, it contains physical parts salvaged from the 1884 lighthouse it replaced, making it a mix of two different eras in one frame. Most visitors walking the pier would never guess that the older wood and metal is hidden inside.
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