Presque Isle Harbor Breakwater Light facts for kids
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 Presque Isle Harbor Breakwater Light
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Breakwater at northeast side of Presque Isle Harbor, Marquette, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 46°34′27″N 87°22′28″W / 46.57417°N 87.37444°W |
| Year first constructed | 1941 |
| Year first lit | 1941 |
| Automated | 1970s |
| Construction | steel tower |
| Tower shape | round cylindrical |
| Markings / pattern | white with red band |
| Height | Tower - 55 feet (17 m) |
| Focal height | 56 feet (17 m) |
| Original lens | 375 mm lens |
| Current lens | LED optic |
| Characteristic | Fl Red, 4 sec |
| ARLHS number | USA-1111 |
| USCG number | USCG 7-14670 |
The Presque Isle Harbor Breakwater Light is a cool lighthouse in Marquette, Michigan. It stands tall on a long wall called a breakwater. This lighthouse helps boats find their way safely into Presque Isle Harbor. In 2016, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical landmark.
Contents
Why Was This Lighthouse Built?
Long ago, between 1897 and 1902, the United States Army Corps of Engineers built a huge wall, over 1,200 feet long. This wall, called a breakwater, protected Presque Isle Harbor in Marquette. It kept the harbor calm for ships.
Later, in 1935, the Corps of Engineers started an even bigger project. They made the harbor deeper and added another 1,600 feet to the breakwater. This made it easier for larger ships to use the port.
When Did the Lighthouse Start Working?
Because of the longer breakwater, a new lighthouse was needed. In 1938, the United States Lighthouse Service planned to build an automatic lighthouse at the end of the breakwater. The breakwater was finished in 1939. The lighthouse itself was completed and lit in 1941.
For many years, people from the Marquette Harbor Light helped maintain this lighthouse. But in the 1970s, the Presque Isle Harbor Breakwater Light became automated. This means it could run by itself without people needing to be there all the time. Today, it still guides boats safely into the harbor.
What Does the Lighthouse Look Like?
The Presque Isle Harbor Breakwater Lighthouse is about 55 feet tall. It has a strong concrete base and a steel tower on top. The tower is painted white with a bright red band in the middle. The lighthouse was built in a special style called Streamline Moderne.
The Base of the Lighthouse
The bottom part of the lighthouse is a large concrete pier. It measures 32 feet by 32 feet. This pier rises about 14 feet above the water. Its top is flat, like a deck. The sides of the pier that face the lake curve outwards. This shape helps to push waves away from the lighthouse.
On top of this pier is an octagonal (eight-sided) concrete section. It is about 22 feet wide and 11 feet tall. This section has three windows and a door. The doorway has a fancy concrete design around it. Inside this part, there are three rooms and a small closet. A ladder inside leads up to the tower above.
The Lighthouse Tower
The steel tower is about 30 feet tall. It has three main levels and a small top section called a cupola. The light itself is in the cupola. The bottom two levels of the tower are shaped like a stylish octagon. They have four flat sides and four curved sides. The very top level and the cupola are round.
Each floor of the tower has three small round windows, called port lights. The first floor also has a door. The second floor has holes where special horns used to be. These horns would make sounds to warn ships in foggy weather. The cupola is about 3 feet wide. It sits on top of the upper story and has an open-air walkway around it.
