Beaver Island Harbor Light

Beaver Island Harbor Light (or St. James Light) is a lighthouse located in St. James, Michigan, on the northern end of Beaver Island on Lake Michigan.[4] It has also been called "St. James Harbor Light" and "Whiskey Point Light". It is associated with a U.S. Coast Guard station, which was formerly a lifesaving station.[5] The tower is constructed of Cream City Brick.

Beaver Island Harbor Light
Whiskey Point (St. James Harbor, Beaver Island)
LocationBeaver Island
St. James, Michigan
United States
Coordinates45°44′34″N 85°30′31″W
Year first constructed1856 (original tower)
1870 (current tower)
Year first lit1870
Automated1927
Tower shapeCylindrical
Markings / patternWhite (Originally yellow) w/ black lantern
Tower height41 feet (12 m)
Focal height38 feet (12 m)[1]
Original lensFourth Order Fresnel
Current lensFourth Order Fresnel
Range10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi)
CharacteristicISO Red 6 seconds Light obscured from 127°30′ to 199°30[2]
ARLHS numberUSA-047
USCG number7-17845
Beaver Island Light Station
Nearest citySt. James, Michigan
Area64.2 acres (26.0 ha)
NRHP reference No.78001495[3]
Added to NRHPDecember 29, 1978

Whiskey Point was originally named for the 1838 fur trading post that operated on the point, and for the commodity that was the post's chief item of sale. Soon afterward in the 1850s, St. James's Harbor on Beaver Island became established as a safe haven in a storm (an event quite common on Lake Michigan). The light was thus a natural extension of the emergency usage. The original light was constructed in 1856, and the light currently in use was constructed in 1870.[6]

At this time, the harbor is used by the Beaver Island ferry, so the light is still an active aid to navigation.

References

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