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St. Joseph North Pier Lights, MI |
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Description:
A Lighthouse Depot for the ninth district of the United States Lighthouse Service was built alongside the river in 1893. The depot buildings are now home to the Saint Joseph River Yacht Club. In May of 2008, the St. Joseph Pierhead and Inner Lights, deemed excess by the Coast Guard, were offered at no cost to eligible entities, including federal, state and local agencies, non-profit corporations, educational agencies, or community development organizations. The City of St. Joseph was the only entity to submit an application, and after reviewing it, the National Park Service requested more information on how the city would share stewardship of the lights with the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center and during what time the lights would be open to the public. A more complete application was returned to the National Park Service in April of 2009. In August of 2008, a historical architect assessed the inner and outer lighthouse structures, at a cost of $17,000, and concluded that $1 million in repairs would be necessary before public access to the lights could be permitted. The inner light requires more attention as part of its ceiling has collapsed. The city might not need to fund the entire restoration, as the Coast Guard may perform some rehabilitation work on the structures before the ownership transfer. References
Purchase prints and gifts featuring photographs on this page Location: Located at the mouth of the St. Joseph river in St. Joseph. Latitude: 42.11608 Longitude: -86.49362 For a larger map of St. Joseph North Pier Lights Lighthouse, click the lighthouse in the above map or get a map from: Mapquest. Travel Instructions: Near Benton Harbor on Interstate 94, take either I-94 Business Route into St. Joseph. From downtown St. Joseph, take Highway 63 over the St. Joseph River. After crossing the river, turn left on Klock Road, which will become Upton Drive. Turn right onto Marina Drive and then left on Ridgeway Drive which will lead to Tiscornia Park, where you can park and walk to the St. Joseph Lighthouses on the pier. A fifth-order Fresnel lens used in the outer tower is on display at the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph. The lighthouse is owned by the Coast Guard. Grounds open, towers closed. Find the closest hotels to St. Joseph North Pier Lights Lighthouse See our List of Lighthouses in Michigan |
