Fort Gratiot Lighthouse
Posted by: 
Ambrosia
N 43° 00.376 W 082° 25.347
17T E 384069 N 4762492
Located in Port Huron, Fort Gratiot Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in Michigan.
Waymark Code: WM1E3D
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 04/17/2007
Views: 47
The nearby Fort Gratiot, was built in 1814 at the junction of Lake Huron and the Saint Claire River, to guard the boats using the passageway. The current lighthouse was added in 1829 (after failed attempts at a smaller light). It was originally 65 feet high, but in 1861 they extended it to 86 feet.
Today, the Coast Guard is stationed at Fort Gratiot, and Guardsmen live in the nearby keepers house. The waterway in front of the Lighthouse is one of the busiest in the world. As you stand in front of the Lighthouse you can look across the water to Canada.
The current keeper's house was built of brick in the late 1800's when the original wooden one burned down in 1874. The current fog signal building was built in 1901. The lighthouse was automated in 1931. It uses a fixed varied with a flash lens from the Pointe Aux Barques light.
The Port Huron Museum is in the process of having the lighthouse transferred to them. For current information about tours, go to their website: Port Huron Museum
Here is a recent pdf newsletter discussing the most recent details of the lighthouse transfer: Fall Newsletter
Another good website: Seeing The Light - Fort Gratiot Lighthouse
Wikipedia article
An interesting bit of history: in the late 1970's my dad was stationed there with the Coast Guard. I was around 3 or so. We lived in one of the buildings next to the keepers building, and so the lighthouse was in my front yard. :-)