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North Manitou Shoal, MI |
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Description:
Several lighthouses have been built to guide vessels through the Manitou Passage, which lies between North and South Manitou Islands and the Michigan mainland. The first such lighthouse was constructed on the southern end of South Mantiou in 1839.
The North Manitou Lighthouse was automated in 1928, and in 1935 the North Manitou Shoal Lighthouse was constructed near the shoal to replace the lightships. The usefulness of the North Mantiou Lighthouse was greatly reduced, and in 1938 it was sold into private hands. The North Manitou Shoal Lighthouse was constructed atop a concrete crib and outfitted with a unique four-sided lens, perhaps manufactured by Kraus-Heinz. The lighthouse was automated in 1980, and the lens was subsequently removed and placed on display in Glen Haven at the Cannery Boat Museum, part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. In December of 2000, concerned citizens from Glen Arbor, Maple City and Walled Lake, Michigan, met to form the North Manito Shoal Light Preservation Society (NMSLPS), a nonprofit organization whose goal was to promote the preservation and restoration of the North Manitou Shoal Lighthouse. After determining that the dollar amount for restoring the lighthouse to an acceptable standard would be considerable, it appears that the group has abandoned their effort.
Location: Located in the water roughly midway between the southern end of North Manitou Island and the mainland. Latitude: 45.02091 Longitude: -85.95706 For a larger map of North Manitou Shoal Lighthouse, click the lighthouse in the above map or get a map from: Mapquest. Travel Instructions: This light is best seen from a boat. Manitou Island Transit offers ferry service and day trips to South Manitou Island from Leland, and a distant view of North Manitou Shoal Light is possible from the ferry. The lighthouse is owned by the Coast Guard. Tower closed. Find the closest hotels to North Manitou Shoal Lighthouse See our List of Lighthouses in Michigan |
