We took our first boat ride out to Charity Island on Memorial Day, 2003. What started out as a clear day, quickly turned foggy as we approached the island. We had to use a shallow draft boat in order to enter the harbor on the east side of the island, since the channel is quite shallow. As we approached the lighthouse after a short hike from the harbor, the two gentlemen who had provided our transportation were quit shocked to see that the keeper's dwelling had been torn down and burned. All that remained was the cylindrical tower, and the brick foundation where the dwelling once stood.

Shortly after our trip, I learned that the owner of the dwelling was responsible for its demolition. He saved some of the oak flooring and beams and plans to use them when he reconstructs the dwelling following the dwelling's original blue prints.

The Charity Island Preservation Committee of the Arenac County Historical Society is currently working towards restoring the tower and operating it as a "tourist and educational facility."