Before the Pine River was enlarged in 1873 to facilitate boat traffic between Lake Michigan and Round Lake, a wooden dock was extended into Lake Michigan just north of the river's mouth. Vessels could then tie up along the dock to be filled with lumber cut from the surrounding area. Amos Fox and his business partner, Hiram Rose, were the visionaries responsible for the construction of the dock. Mr. Fox lived at 103 Park Avenue in a lovely, Victorian dwelling. In 1908, the home was purchased by the government to be used as a dwelling for the keeper of the Charlevoix Lighthouse. Eugene Ripley was the first keeper of the light and served until his retirement in 1925. The keeper's dwelling was purchased by Dr. Walter Hoffman in 1962, but was removed from the property in 1984. The Hoffmans donated the land where the dwelling once stood to the City of Charlevoix for use as a park. A metal plaque, in what is now called Hoffman Park, gives a depiction of the old dwelling.

In 2005, the Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse, deemed excess by the Coast Guard, was offered at no cost to eligible entities, including federal, state, and local agencies, non-profit corporations, and educational organizations under the provisions of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000. After the review process, the National Park Service awarded the lighthouse to the City of Charlevoix.

In March of 2009, it was announced that the Charlevoix Historical Society would get $29,666 for work on the Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse from the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program, which is administered by the State Historic Preservation Office and funded by proceeds from the sale of the "Save our Lights" license plate. Evidence of work on the light was clearly evident in August of 2009, as the light, which had been painted white since in recent decades, was returned to its original bright red coloring.