There's still time to make plans to attend the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival, which continues on through Sunday, along Lake Huron's coast from Tawas to Mackinaw City. The largest of its kind in the country, this annual event draws lighthouse enthusiasts from all over the United States. A few dozen bus tours are expected to participate, and the number grows annually.
This year's headquarters is located at the Alpena Events Complex (APlex), with daily activities taking place. You can find the full list of events here on the 2011 brochure. Presque Isle, located about a half hour from headquarters, is home to two of the ten lighthouses included in the festival. Both lighthouses are open to the public and include museums.
As we celebrate Northeast Michigan's rich maritime past, let's learn more about Presque Isle's two lighthouses with these fun facts!
Old Presque Isle Light
* The tallest lighthouse open for climbing on all the Great Lakes with 130 steps!
* One of the few Great Lakes lighthouses to have retained its Third Order Fresnel Lens, which was lovingly restored and is awaiting re-installation.
*The estimated cost of construction for the lighthouse was $28,000 (about $500,000 in today's money)
*The ornate, elegant design was so successful that it was duplicated in 5 other Great Lakes lighthouses.
* The lighthouse had about 21 keepers in its 94 years in operation
Old Presque Isle Light
* Built in 1840, the Old Light is one of the oldest lighthouses on the Great Lakes.
* With the installation of the Range Lights and New Presque Isle Light in 1871, the light became obsolete after only 30 years in service.
* After sitting vacant and deteriorating for years, wealthy Lansing hat-maker Bliss Stebbins purchased the buildings for only $60 at a tax sale at the turn of the century.
*Many local residents and visitors report the Old Lighthouse as haunted. It is believed that the lighthouse's last keeper, George Parris, keeps the long disassembled light going and appears to lucky persons as a warm, charming spirit. The story has been featured on TV programs and in books and magazine articles.
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