Big Bay Point Light, Lighthouse on Lake Superior bluff in Powell Township, Michigan.
Big Bay Point Light is a brick and concrete lighthouse perched on a Lake Superior bluff, featuring an octagonal lantern room positioned above a square tower structure. The site includes the main tower, a substantial keeper's house from the 19th century, and supporting buildings that remain standing on the rocky shoreline.
The light station began operating in 1896 to guide ships navigating between Granite Island and Huron Islands through these challenging waters. Automation arrived in 1941, ending the era of resident lighthouse keepers at this location.
The keeper's residence attached to this light tower once housed families responsible for maintaining the beacon and now welcomes guests, creating a bridge between maritime work and contemporary hospitality. Walking through the rooms shows how lighthouse keepers and their families lived while performing this critical coastal duty.
This location sits on rocky terrain above Lake Superior with often windy and cool weather conditions, particularly during fall and winter seasons. Visitors should wear appropriate footwear for uneven ground and bring layers since weather can change quickly along the shoreline.
The station's first keeper, William Prior, vanished without a trace, and this unsolved disappearance has become woven into the local history told by residents and visitors alike. The mystery adds a human dimension to what might otherwise be simply a maritime structure.
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