One unique piece of history about this lighthouse is, Jemima Monroe, the widow of William Monroe the original keeper, took over his duties after his passing and maintained the tower while raising her two children. The red tower, built in 1931 was never manned or occupied and this is reflected in its design. Located at Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon, Michigan, this tower stands at the end of a walkable 1,514-foot pier. Visitors are able to climb the tower if they meet the 40 inches height requirement. The admission fee is $8 for adults and $5 for children, 17 and under. Summer museum hours are Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. Visitors can now enjoy the rich history of the tower in the White River Light Station Museum. In 1960 this west Michigan lighthouse was deactivated and was later opened as a museum. The tower saw a few keepers following that, including Leo Wuori and Frances Marshall. A newspaper clipping stated, “On the final day of his stay at the lighthouse he died, peaceably and quietly.” The locals deemed Keeper Robinson an “institution” and honored his death along with his wife, Sarah, and their 13 children. Though his grandson took over, Keeper Robinson loved his home in the tower and stayed another 40 years until he died. His grandson, William Bush, who had trained under Robinson as his assistant, took charge of the light. This led to the 87-year-old keeper, Robinson, being forced to retire. The main light was changed to an electric light in 1918. A brick oil house was added to the station in 1902 and the color changed in 1917 from white to red. Following the extension in 1880, the beacon was moved 100 feet lakeward. The tower has gone through multiple elevation extensions. The lighthouse sits between two parallel piers at the mouth of the White River. This historic lighthouse was built in 1875 by Captain William Robinson. For an additional fee, on select summer days between noon and 5 p.m., transportation can be taken from the Ludington State Park to the lighthouse. and include an $8 donation fee to climb the tower for adults and $5 for children who are 17 and under. The beautiful views make the journey worthwhile and you can pick up a souvenir at the gift shop, located in the old keeper’s quarters. 20 head keepers and many more first and second assistants ran the tower during its time.įrom May to October visitors can trek the almost 2-mile hike and climb 130 steps to the top of the tower. In 1908 a brick fog signal building was added and work began on expanding the keeper’s dwelling to house a second assistant. Attached to the tower were the keeper’s quarters which connected to the tower by a covered 14-foot passageway. The Lighthouse Board deemed in 1865, that is was “the most important point on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan between Pointe Betsie and Muskegon.”Ĭonstruction on the building began in 1866 and consisted of a watch room, gallery, and lantern room. This black-and-white striped tower was erected after several ships were wrecked along the shoreline. First up on this list of West Michigan Lighthouses is Big Sable Point Lighthouse, honored in 2013 as Featured Lighthouse of the Year, which stands 112 feet tall on the shore of Lake Michigan.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |