Poe Reef Light, Navigational lighthouse in Cheboygan County, United States
Poe Reef Light is a lighthouse on Lake Huron in northern Michigan, built directly on top of a submerged reef. The concrete tower rises about 56 feet (17 m) above the water and has three stories that once served as living quarters for keepers.
Before the tower was built in 1929, lightships marked this dangerous spot on the lake, which proved hard to maintain in open water. The new concrete structure replaced that system with something more permanent fixed directly to the reef.
The red roof and black-and-white bands of the tower make it easy to spot from the water even on overcast days. Boaters on Lake Huron still use it as a reference point, just as ship captains have done for decades.
Since the lighthouse stands in the open lake, it can only be seen from the water, and boat tours are the usual way to get a view of it. Summer departures from Mackinaw City typically pass by the structure on routes that also go around nearby islands.
The tower's foundation was poured directly into the reef so that it holds firm at any water level, with no dock or pier attached. Supply boats once had to tie up directly against the concrete wall to deliver provisions and crew changes.
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