If you look at a map of Michigan, you will see the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten. Up by the top of the pinky finger is Grand Traverse Bay. At the mouth of the bay on the west side you will find Grand Traverse Lighthouse. This is a beautifully restored lighthouse, keeper's quarters and the building that housed the foghorn - now a gift shop. For a small fee, you can tour the house and climb into the now unused light tower.
This picture looks back over the room from the light tower.
If you turn 90 degrees to your left, you can see out into the bay to the right and the lake to the left. This is the current, automated light. Not nearly as romantic as the old lighthouses is it?
Turn left again to about halfway between the other two views and you can see the old foghorn building, also beautifully restored. From there a path leads down to Lake Michigan.
Michigan has the second longest shoreline of all the states, second only to Alaska. While we don't have any ocean shore, the Great Lakes, 4 of which border our state, are notoriously treacherous in bad weather. That's why Michigan has 124 lighthouses - more than any other state. Many of them have been or are being restored, but sadly many have fallen to ruin. I did a post here of thirteen Michigan lights I've visited.
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10 comments:
I love light houses, they look so romantic and when you imagine that their lights guided the ships !
Hi Clara, what an interesting post. I'm not good at geography (didn't take it as a subject at school-lol!) So this post was most informative. It's also a blessing to "meet" another believer. Blessings and hugs Jo
I love lighthouses. There are quite a few on the west coast. I always stop and look around.
Have a terrific day Clara. Big hug. :)
Perfect post for Ruby Tuesdays too, have you ever linked to it? It's posts on things that are red! Do a double post and receive more comments and more people see your informative blog....this is a great post. I live in northern Indiana and have only passed through Traverse City on my to the UP. I also liked your link to the past lighthouse post you did. Wonderful!
Thanks for your visit to my blog. Much appreciated.
It's alway wonderful to learn about these things around the world. This is a great post and very informative too.
Luckily this light house has had some love and attention as it's a real pity that buildings like these are left to rot. A part of history always dissapears with them and I think we should take care to remember our past and learn from it.
Too bad the old lighthouse was replaced with that ugly structure. Glad it was repaired. Didn't realize there are so many of them on Lake Michigan.
No sea but 124 lighthouses? I didn´t knew that there was so amazingly lot of those. That´s a beauty too.
That is truly a beautifully restored lighthouse and very romantic indeed as opposed to the new structure. Love the color of the roof.
So...I wasn't sure where to put this, but happy birthday to Mikki's Mom. (Since she forgot.) Hope it was good. And she really is a good kid even if she forgot. Course, you know that.
I love this area of Michigan. Great pictures.
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