Martin Reef Light Station, National Register lighthouse in Lake Huron, Mackinac County, US
Martin Reef Light Station is a lighthouse on Lake Huron marking a shallow reef near the Straits of Mackinac. The building has a square white tower with a red roof rising from a concrete foundation, containing engine rooms, living spaces, and storage areas across three levels.
The lighthouse was built in 1927 to replace a lightship stationed at the reef since 1906. This change improved navigation safety for vessels passing through the Straits of Mackinac.
The third-order Fresnel lens from the lighthouse remains preserved at the Point Iroquois Light museum, maintaining the connection to maritime navigation history.
The lighthouse sits on open water and is not easily reached from shore. Visitors interested in seeing it up close should look into boat tours or water-based excursions, as access and conditions vary depending on the season.
The original third-order Fresnel lens was removed from the lighthouse and now resides in a museum on shore. Control of the structure transferred to an indigenous affairs bureau in 2000, shifting stewardship to a different federal agency.
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