Poe Reef Lighthouse - Lake Huron, Michigan
Posted by: 
hykesj
N 45° 41.672 W 084° 21.735
16T E 705366 N 5063493
This lighthouse has helped guide mariners through the South Channel of the Straits of Mackinac for almost 100 years.
Waymark Code: WM18K3R
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 08/14/2023
Views: 1
Poe Reef is one of several hazards to shipping in the Straits of Mackinac that lie just below the surface of the water. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, as the cargo vessels on the Great Lakes grew in size with ever increasing drafts, avoiding these hidden dangers became an imperative. As luck would have it, several of these shoals and reefs are right smack dab in the middle of shipping lanes. These hazards were initially marked with Light ships, but eventually permanent structures were built.
Construction on the Poe Reef lighthouse (completed in 1929) followed fast on the heels of the Martin Reef lighthouse (completed in 1927). In fact, the same construction crew was used as well as the same design. So similar in appearance were these two lighthouses that two large black stripes were added to the Poe Reef tower to help avoid confusion. Fitted with a Third Order Fresnel lens, the Poe Reef light can be seen from twenty miles away.
The Poe Reef lighthouse is about five miles northeast of Cheboygan, Michigan. Lying a few miles offshore, the lighthouse is best viewed by boat, but can be seen (on a clear day) from several spots along the shore east of Cheboygan. Automated since 1974, and not open to the public, the Poe Reef light station has become a popular hangout for birds.
Coastal Lighthouse: Lighthouse
Range Lights: Not listed
LIGHTHOUSE CHALLENGE VISIT: Not listed
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