Bus Tours Magazine Tour Tips Newsletter

Bus Tours Magazine

Tour Tips April 2019

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The mission of Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association is to preserve, promote and educate the public and make our lighthouses accessible to all.

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splka.org

231-845-7417 splkadirector@gmail.com

Big Sabel Point Lighthouse

Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association, SPLKA, was formed in 1987 by a small group of Local Ludington residents, led by Mr. Dick Smith, dedicated to restoring and persevering Big Sable Point Lighthouse, located in the beautiful Ludington State Park. We have grown considerably from our humble beginnings and now have operating agreements with the State Of Michigan DNR, the City of Ludington and Fruitland Township to manage, restore and maintain: Big Sable Point Lighthouse, Little Sable Point Lighthouse, Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse and the White River Light Station.

The responsibilities of restoring and managing four historic lighthouses on the shores of Western Michigan have been demanding, but very rewarding as well. SPLKA has grown from to 725 individual members, many who sign up for the 420 weeklong shifts positions as volunteer lighthouse keepers during the busy tourist season. Our mission is to preserve, promote, educate the public and make our lighthouse accessible to all. page 1

Big Sable Point

Built in 1867 the Big Sable Point is one of the oldest lighthouses built on the shores of Lake Michigan. Built originally using soft Milwaukee cream brick, the tower is five feet thick at the base and two feet thick at the top. By 1900 the soft brick was disintegrating due to the harsh weather conditions.

The tower was then wrapped in steel and painted white with black stripe giving it its distinctive day mark. Big Sable was operated and manned by the Lifesaving service and then the U. S. Coast Guard until 1970. In 1970 the Coast Guard saw no need to man the station so they abandoned the keeper’s quarters and the quarters fell in to disrepair. Under the care and management of the Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association, the Big Sable Lighthouse is being preserved and is now open to the public.

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Little Sable Point

Alone on a beach on the eastern side of Lake Michigan, the light tower of Little Sable Point Lighthouse, built in 1874, appears out of place, almost surreal. At the top, the conical brick tower resembles a brick smokestack from a long ago abandoned factory. The catwalk, windows and roof reveal it was a beacon for mariners, with a history worth knowing. But the dwellings and other buildings long since have disappeared, robbing the light of the grandeur of other lights.

Nonetheless, a sweet heritage remains at the graceful 115-foot-tall structure. The Little Sable Point lighthouse located on the eastern shores of Lake Michigan is located half way between the MichiganIndiana border and the Straits of Mackinac. Little Sable welcomes over 30,000 visitors each season who venture up to the catwalk to the truly spectacular views of the Silver Lake sand dunes.

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Ludington North

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Built in 1924, the Ludington North Breakwater light is made of steel plates and takes the shape of a four sided pyramidal tower with four round porthole windows on each of the three decks. The white painted tower was capped with a square gallery and an octagonal iron lantern installed in its center. Originally, it housed a Fourth order Fresnel lens that was one of the first to be manufactured in the United States. The entire section below the gallery was given a white coat of paint and the lantern painted black giving the light its day mark. The north breakwater light’s signature is flashing green. In 1994 renovations and reconfiguration of the concrete breakwater pier took place, the 1924 tower suddenly settled, and the tower shifted to an approximate four-degree list to the northwest. The Army Corp of engineers made the decision not to straighten the light tower because it was still stable.

Built as a harbor light in 1875, the White River Light Station helped sailors navigate the channel between White Lake and Lake Michigan. The original lighthouse keeper Captain William Robinson vowed never to leave and some say never has. Captain Robinson passed away, at the light, at the age of 86 and the six lighthouse keepers who followed him claimed that he was always looking over their shoulders. The White River Light station was also home to the last female Great Lakes lighthouse keeper Francis Johnson. Surrounded by beautiful grounds the lighthouse now serves the community as a small Great Lakes maritime museum as well as a wonderful reminded of years gone past.

White River

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