McGulpin Point Light facts for kids
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| McGulpin Point Light in October 2023 | |
| Location | Straits of Mackinac, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 45°47′13″N 84°46′20″W / 45.78690°N 84.7722°W |
| Year first constructed | 1869 |
| Year first lit | 1869, 2009 |
| Deactivated | 1906 |
| Construction | Cream City brick |
| Tower shape | Octagonal |
| Markings / pattern | natural |
| Height | 38 feet (12 m) |
| Focal height | 102 feet (31 m) |
| Original lens | 3.5 order Fresnel lens |
The McGulpin Point Light is a historic lighthouse located near the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan. It was built to help ships navigate safely through these busy waters. The lighthouse first started shining its light in 1869, making it one of the oldest lighthouses still standing in the Straits area. It operated until 1906 and is found on McGulpin Point, about 3 miles west of Fort Michilimackinac.
Since 2008, Emmet County has owned the McGulpin Point Lighthouse & Historic Site. It became an official private navigation aid on the NOAA chart map in 2009. Visitors could take tours of the lighthouse during the 2019 season.
Contents
History of the Lighthouse
Building and Early Use
The McGulpin Point Light was a complete lighthouse, featuring a light tower and a home for the lighthouse keeper. The United States Lighthouse Board finished building it in 1869. The project cost about $20,000. The keeper's living area was a brick building with one and a half stories. The lighthouse guided ships during the Great Lakes shipping seasons from 1869 until 1906.
The design of this lighthouse was very successful. The United States Lighthouse Board used this same design for other lighthouses. These included the Eagle Harbor Light (1871), White River Light (1875), and Sand Island Light (1881). It was also a "mirror image" of designs used for the Chambers Island Light and Eagle Bluff Light. People sometimes call this design "Norman Gothic" style.
James Davenport was the only lighthouse keeper at McGulpin Point Light. He worked there for 27 years. Records show that Davenport traveled weekly through the snow to the lighthouse. He reported on its condition to the District Inspector in Milwaukee. These letters also show he helped open navigation each spring. He reported often on the ice conditions in the Straits. Because Davenport sent such frequent reports, the Inspector likely used them to know when ships could travel through the lakes.
Saving the Lighthouse
In 1906, the McGulpin Point Light was turned off and sold to private owners. The Lighthouse Board decided that the nearby Old Mackinac Point Light was enough to mark the Straits of Mackinac. After it was turned off, the top part of the lighthouse tower, called the lantern room, was removed. The building then became a private home.
In 2005, the lighthouse and its 11.5 acres of land were put up for sale. The Peppler family asked for $1.75 million. By early 2008, the price was $974,900. In June 2008, the leaders of Emmet County voted to buy the McGulpin Point Lighthouse. They also bought 11.5 acres of lakefront property, including 336 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline. Some nearby land for visitor parking was also included. The total cost was $720,000.
The county also set aside $25,000 for signs, plaques, a flagpole, and advertising. This was to promote the lighthouse as a new historic site in the Straits of Mackinac area. With help from the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association and private donations, Emmet County rebuilt the missing lantern room. This allowed the McGulpin Point Lighthouse to work as a lighthouse again. In April 2009, a new lantern room, made in Onaway, Michigan, was placed on top. A new light was put inside. The McGulpin Point Light was officially relit on May 30, 2009.
About 1,200 people came to the festival and relighting ceremony in May 2009. Frank Ettawageshik, from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, gave a blessing. Then, four Native American drummers gave a powerful performance. United States Senator Debbie Stabenow and James Tamlyn, the Emmet County Board of Commissioners chairman, officially turned on the light.
Current Status of the Lighthouse
As of 2025, the McGulpin Point Lighthouse was not yet listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was also not on the state's list of historic places. Emmet County has owned it since 2008.
In 2009, volunteers staffed the McGulpin lighthouse during the summer. There was no admission fee then, but donations were accepted. Visitors could go inside the lighthouse and up into the original tower and the new lantern room. It was also possible to take a seaplane tour to see the lighthouses in the Mackinac Straits area.
Since May 30, 2009, McGulpin has been a private Aid to Navigation on the NOAA chart map. This approval came after the new ten-sided lantern was installed. The McGulpin Point Light lantern from 2009 showed a single white flash lasting 3.0 seconds. Sailors in the Straits of Mackinac could see this light.
During the 2019 season, tours of McGulpin Point Lighthouse & Historic Site cost $3 per person. Visitors could also stay overnight at the McGulpin Point Cottage, which is on the lighthouse grounds.
More to Explore
- Lighthouses in the United States
