Round Island Passage Light facts for kids
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 Round Island Passage Light
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Mackinac Island, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 45°50′36″N 84°36′54″W / 45.84333°N 84.61500°W |
| Year first constructed | 1947 |
| Year first lit | 1948 |
| Automated | 1973 |
| Foundation | Crib |
| Construction | Reinforced concrete |
| Tower shape | Octagonal |
| Markings / pattern | White tower with red band |
| Focal height | 71 feet (22 m) |
| Original lens | Sealed beam |
| Current lens | 7.5-inch (190 mm) |
| Range | 14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi) |
| Characteristic | Flashing red 5s |
| Fog signal | Horn: On request - 1 every 30s |
| Racon | "X" (– • • –) |
| ARLHS number | USA-710 |
| USCG number | 7-12580 |
The Round Island Passage Light is a lighthouse built in 1948. It works by itself and has no staff. This lighthouse stands in the Round Island Channel in the Straits of Mackinac, Michigan. This channel is part of Lake Huron.
Contents
History of the Lighthouse
The first Round Island Lighthouse was built in 1895. It helped ships know where the southern side of the Round Island Channel was.
Planning and Building the New Light
In 1936, the United States Coast Guard planned a new lighthouse. It would be 1000 feet south of Mackinac Island. This light would mark the northern side of the shipping channel. But World War II started, so building was put on hold. While they waited, a special buoy with a radio signal was placed there.
The Coast Guard began building the Round Island Passage Light in 1947. It was finished in 1948. Workers also built a control house on the southern tip of Mackinac Island. They ran power cables under the water to the new light. The lighthouse had a bright light, a fog horn, and a radio beacon. The light first flashed a green signal. This came from special lamps at the top of the tower.
Changes Over Time
The Passage Light was one of the last lighthouses built on the Great Lakes. It was built at the same time the older 1895 lighthouse was turned off.
In 1959, the light's color changed from green to flashing red. The radio beacon, which helped ships find their distance, was turned off in 1962. In 1968, the lighthouse base was painted red, while the rest stayed white. In 1973, the light became automated, meaning it worked without people. The tall steel antenna tower was removed in the early 2000s.
In 1996, the old Round Island Light was turned back on. It now helps guide ships again. As of 2017, both lighthouses help mark the channel. On August 7, 2013, the Passage Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site. In 2014, the lighthouse was sold at an auction for $65,500.
What the Lighthouse Looks Like
The Round Island Passage Light stands on a strong timber crib foundation. This foundation is 56 feet wide and square. The outer parts of the timber crib are filled with concrete, and the inside parts are filled with rock.
The Tower's Structure
On top of the foundation is a concrete deck, 41 feet square. The main part of the lighthouse is octagonal, meaning it has eight sides. Four sides are straight up, and four are sloped.
Above the concrete deck is a red steel enclosure, 20 feet square and 11 feet tall. You can enter it through a nine-foot-wide door. On top of this enclosure is a five-story steel tower. It is 41 and a half feet tall and 12 feet wide.
Special Features
Each side of the tower has a four-foot bronze carving of an Indian head. These carvings honor the Native American tribes who saw Mackinac Island as a sacred place. Inside the tower, ladders connect each story. The lighthouse used to have a 47-foot steel antenna on top, but it was taken down in the early 2000s.
