Manitou Island Light Station
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
One of the more remote lighthouses on Lake Superior, the Manitou Island Light Station was built in 1861, replacing a rubble stone structure built in 1850. The new one was constructed as a cast iron structure with a spiral staircase inside. The light stands at 45 feet tall and is still an active navigational station (the Coast Guard operates the light). The site includes the keeper's house, boathouse, walkways and other other structures. It was automated in 1978 and is the oldest skeletal lighthouse in the Great Lakes. The land on which it stands is the Manitou Island Light Station Preserve, which is owned by the Keweenaw Land Trust. The island is uninhabited and trails are not maintained. People are allowed to visit, camp and hike but it can be difficult to get there. The lighthouse buildings are not open to the public but can be viewed outside. The station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Since the island is somewhat remote, it has been well protected and wildlife thrives here.
Images
The Manitou Island Light Station
Manitou Island. The station is located at the bottom. At the top is the tip of the Keweenaw peninsula
Sources
http://www.keweenawlandtrust.org/special-manitou.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manitou_Island_Light_Station