Grand Traverse Light

Grand Traverse Light is a lighthouse on Leelanau Peninsula that separates Lake Michigan from Grand Traverse Bay, featuring a white tower with an attached keeper's house. The building contains a fog signal structure and several rooms that tell the story of maritime activity in this region.

The original lighthouse was built in 1850 on the orders of President Millard Fillmore to warn ships in these dangerous waters. The current brick structure has replaced the earlier building since 1858.

The lighthouse displays exhibits about maritime navigation and ships that sank near these waters. Visitors can see how people worked to guide vessels safely and prevent disasters.

The lighthouse can be visited from April through December and offers visitors the chance to climb the tower and explore the rooms inside. Plan time for examining the various buildings, as the site encompasses several structures.

Inside the lighthouse, the living spaces of keepers from the 1920s and 1930s are recreated, showing how simple daily life was at this isolated location. This recreation helps visitors understand the isolation and routine that lighthouse keepers experienced.

Location: Leelanau Peninsula

Inception: 1852

GPS coordinates: 45.21000,-85.55000

Latest update: December 12, 2025 14:26