South Haven Light facts for kids
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| South Pierhead Light | |
 South Haven Light
Location in Michigan
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| Location | South Haven, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 42°24′08″N 86°17′04″W / 42.40222°N 86.28444°W |
| Year first lit | 1903 |
| Foundation | Pier |
| Construction | Cast iron |
| Tower shape | Cylindrical w/catwalk |
| Markings / pattern | red/black lantern, parapet and markings |
| Height | 35 feet (11 m) |
| Focal height | 37 feet (11 m) |
| Original lens | Fifth order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | Sixth order Fresnel lens |
| Range | 13 nautical miles (24 km; 15 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl R 4 seconds |
| Fog signal | HORN: 2 blast ev 30s (2s bl-
2s si-2s bl-24s si). Diaphone. |
| ARLHS number | USA-772 |
| USCG number | 7-19505 |
The South Haven South Pierhead Light is a famous lighthouse in Michigan. It stands at the entrance to the Black River on Lake Michigan. This important light helps boats find their way safely. It first shone its light in 1872 and is still working today!
The lighthouse tower you see now is a shorter version of the Muskegon Pier Light. It replaced an older wooden tower from 1872. One special thing about this lighthouse is its original catwalk. This walkway still connects the tower to the shore. It's one of only four such catwalks left in all of Michigan!
The Lighthouse's Story
The lighthouse used to have a keeper who lived nearby. Their house is on the shore, a two-and-a-half-story wooden building. It was also built in 1872. In 2000, the house was given to the city to protect it. Now, the Michigan Maritime Museum uses it as a research library.
Inside the lighthouse, there was a special Fresnel lens. This type of lens was invented by a French physicist and helps make the light very bright. The lens in South Haven was made by famous Parisian glass makers.
The current lighthouse tower was designed by an engineer named James G. Warren. The old wooden lighthouse was taken down. On October 6, 1903, ten workers arrived to build the new one. It took them just over a month to finish the project. The lantern room, where the light shines from, actually came from another lighthouse in Muskegon, Michigan! It had been used there for 40 years before coming to South Haven.
In 1913, the lighthouse was moved. It was shifted 425 feet further out to the end of the pier. This helped it guide ships even better.
Visiting the Lighthouse
The South Haven Lighthouse is open for people to visit. It's located on the south pier at the mouth of the Black River. You can find it at the end of Water Street.
To get there, you can park in a nearby city park. Then, you can walk along the pier right to the lighthouse! The area around the lighthouse is open to the public. However, the tower itself is usually closed. Sometimes, during the city's mid-June Harborfest, they have special open house events where you might get to go inside.
