Lansing Shoal Light Station, northeastern Lake Michigan, Newton Township, Mackinac County, Michigan
LANSING SHOAL LIGHT
NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN, NEAR NAUBINWAY, MI
Station Established: 1900
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1928
Operational? YES
Automated? 1976
Deactivated: N/A
Foundation Materials: CRIB (CONCRETE AND STEEL)
Construction Materials: REINFORCED CONCRETE AND STEEL
Tower Shape: SQUARE
Markings/Pattern: NATURAL
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: THIRD ORDER, FRESNEL
Characteristic: OCC. W., 15 SECONDS
Fog Signal: DIAPHONE, AIR; BLAST 2 SECONDS, SILENT 18 SECONDS
Radiobeacon: TRANSMITTED ON 296 KC, GROUPS OF 2 DASHES, 2 DOTS
Historical Information:
- The Lansing Shoals are a treacherous area in northern Lake Michigan that ships must pass through on their way to northern harbors. The rocky reefs make the narrow stretch dangerous for all vessels.
- As more and more cargo ships passed through the area the cry for a permanent light rose. Building a manned lighthouse in such a remote area was extremely costly.
- The Lightship LV55 was moved from Simmons Reef when a gas buoy was placed at that location. LV55 served at Lansing Shoals until a permanent lighthouse was built in 1928. Lansing Shoal Lighthouse was one of the last major lights to be built on the Great Lakes.
- The lighthouse was built on a crib that is 74 feet square and 20 feet high. The lighthouse is 59 feet tall. It was fitted with a third order Fresnel lens.
- The original optic was replaced in 1976 with an acrylic optic. The original lens is on display at the Lansing State Museum in Lansing, Michigan.
- The lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation and is not open to the public. It is only viewable from the water.
Researched and written by Melissa Buckler, a volunteer through the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society.