Fort Gratiot Light

Fort Gratiot Light
Map
LocationOmar and Garfield Sts., Port Huron, Michigan
Coordinates43°0′22.7″N 82°25′20.9″W / 43.006306°N 82.422472°W / 43.006306; -82.422472
Tower
Constructed1825
FoundationDressed stone and timber[4]
ConstructionBrick
Automated1933
Height85 feet (26 m)[1]
ShapeFrustum of a cone attached to workroom[5]
MarkingsWhite
HeritageNational Register of Historic Places listed place, Michigan state historic site Edit this on Wikidata
Fog signalStation will give available information on fog conditions in upper river by radiotelephone when requested, (156.80 MHz). Standby light of reduced intensity lighted throughout 24 hours.[6]
Light
First lit1825
Focal height82 feet (25 m)[2]
LensFourth-order Fresnel lens (original), DCB-224 Carlisle & Finch Aerobeacon (current)
Range18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi)
CharacteristicFl green 6 seconds[3]
Fort Gratiot Lighthouse
Undated USCG image
Arealess than one acre
ArchitectLyon, Lucius; Moors, J.
NRHP reference No.76001975[7]
Added to NRHPJuly 30, 1976

Fort Gratiot Light /ˈɡræʃɪt/, the first lighthouse in the state of Michigan, was constructed north of Fort Gratiot in 1825 by Lucius Lyon, who later became one of Michigan's first U.S. Senators.[8]

The Fort Gratiot Light marks the entrance to the St. Clair River from Lake Huron (going south) in the southern portion of Michigan's Thumb. The light is still active and the grounds are an active Coast Guard facility, but it has recently been handed over to the Port Huron Museum. It is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Michigan. There is also a public beach and park on the property, known as Lighthouse Beach.

It is across the river from Point Edward Front Range Light.[9]

  1. ^ Pepper, Terry. "Database of Tower Heights". Seeing the Light. terrypepper.com. Archived from the original on 2000-09-18.
  2. ^ Pepper, Terry. "Database of Focal Heights". Seeing the Light. terrypepper.com. Archived from the original on 2008-08-30.
  3. ^ Light List, Volume VII, Great Lakes (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard.
  4. ^ Michigan Lighthouse fund, Fort Gratiot light. Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: Michigan". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office. Archived from the original on 2017-05-01.
  6. ^ Map of Michigan Lighthouse Archived 2008-01-14 at the Wayback Machine in PDF Format.
  7. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  8. ^ "Fort Gratiot lighthouse". Archived from the original on 2011-03-19.
  9. ^ Interactive map, list, information for lighthouses in North and West Lake Huron. Archived April 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine