Name and Location

The New Presque Isle Light is an active navigational aid located in Presque Isle Harbor, Presque Isle Township, Michigan, USA. Its address is 4500 E Grand Lake Road, and its coordinates are Latitude 45°21′23″ N (45.3565842) and Longitude 83°29′32″ W (-83.492248).

Construction and History

The New Presque Isle Light was built in 1870 by the United States Lighthouse Board and first lit in 1871. It replaced an earlier tower, the "Old Presque Isle Light" (1840-1870). The lighthouse has stood guard since then, serving as one of Michigan's most photographed 19th-century lighthouses.

Architecture and Materials

The tower is constructed with cream-colored brick and features a cast-iron lantern room. The attached brick keeper's dwelling was built at the same time. The original lens was a fourth-order Fresnel lens, which is now on display locally.

Light and Navigation

The current optic is a 190 mm acrylic lens that revolves and emits a flashing white light every 10 seconds (Fl W 10 s). The nominal range of the light is 17 nautical miles. It has been automated since 1941 under remote monitoring by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse is open seasonally from mid-June to early September, only on weekends. Guided tours of the tower and keeper's dwelling are available at no charge, with donations welcome. On-site facilities include a small museum in the former keeper's quarters, restrooms, picnic tables, and paved parking.

Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse is situated on a low sand spit at the mouth of Presque Isle Harbor, overlooking Lake Huron. Panoramic views include the shipping channel, breakwaters, shoreline forests, and sandy public beaches. Nearby attractions include the Presque Isle County Historical Museum, Peninsula State Forest hiking trails, and sandy public beaches.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Locals claim that Keeper John T. Hosmer's pet crow in the lantern room would warn of storms by cawing loudly. During the "Big Blow" of November 1913, the tower's brickwork withstood waves that washed clean over the breakwaters. Some visitors report hearing phantom footsteps at dusk, possibly the echo of the keeper's nightly rounds.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is a Class "D" aid to navigation on NOAA Chart 14960 and is managed by Presque Isle Township in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984 for engineering and maritime significance.

Further Information

• For further reading, refer to LighthouseFriends.com,
• United States Coast Guard Light List Vol. VII, Great Lakes (latest edition),
• Presque Isle County Historical Society publications,
• National Register of Historic Places nomination form, 1984,
• and Wikipedia entry.