Round Island Lighthouse
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The lighthouse is located on a sand and cobblestone spit extending from Round Island into the narrow channel between Round Island and Mackinac Island. It was built in 1895 at a cost of $15,000 under the supervision of Frank Rounds from Detroit. Frank originally came to the Straits area to help build the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. It was commissioned on May 15, 1896 under the U.S. Lighthouse Board which became the United States Lighthouse Service in 1910. In 1924 the beacon was automated and the United States Coast Guard was given responsibility for all lighthouses in 1939. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1947, and transferred to the United States Forest Service in 1958. The beacon has gone through several changes of lighting technology, from oil to electricity. It originally had a 4th order Fresnel lens with a steady white light followed by a red flash every 20 seconds. Today it is powered by the sun using solar cells and storage batteries. On the first floor, most of the original machinery for operation of the lighthouse and foghorn were removed for scrap to support World War II efforts. The second and third floors provided living quarters for the lighthouse keepers and their families during the shipping season.
The Forest Service has a unique partnership to assist with maintenance and upkeep of the lighthouse and out buildings. The Round Island Lighthouse Preservation Society is a Michigan non-profit corporation, founded solely to assist with facilitating the preservation of the Round Island Lighthouse and grounds. In addition, the Lake Huron Area Council Boy Scout Troop 323 of Freeland, Michigan also assists with summer clean-up activities and repairs.
If you are interested in learning more about the Round Island Lighthouse, please call the Saint Ignace office of the Hiawatha National Forest or visit our partner’s website at: http://www.roundislandlightmichigan.com/
See for yourself
Points of Interest
Location |
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Round Island Lighthouse |
Nearby Camping
Location | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maple Bay - State Forest | 38 | 600 ft | |||
Weber Lake - State Forest | 18 | 911 ft | |||
Lake Marjory - State Forest | 10 | 1,271 ft | |||
Otsego Lake County Park | 80 | 1,275 ft | |||
Beach - Pancake Bay Provincial Park | 236 | 614 ft | |||
Carp River | 38 | 632 ft | |||
Monocle Lake Rec Area | 39 | 641 ft | |||
Kinross RV Park West | 52 | 795 ft | |||
Crescent Lake - Lake Superior Provincial Park | 20 | 1,184 ft | |||
Brimley State Park | 235 | 628 ft | |||
Agawa Bay - Lake Superior Provincial Park | 147 | 620 ft | |||
Burt Lake State Park | 300 | 610 ft | |||
Otsego Lake State Park | 150 | 1,294 ft | |||
Straits State Park | 275 | 672 ft | |||
Haakwood - State Forest | 18 | 748 ft | |||
Hilltop - Pancake Bay Provincial Park | 89 | 657 ft |
Weather Forecast
Nearby Streamflow Levels
Gauge | Streamflow |
---|---|
Jordan River Near East Jordan
USGS 04127800 |
182 cfs |
Pigeon R At Sturgeon Valley Rd Near Vanderbilt
USGS 04128990 |
71 cfs |
Clam River At Vogel Center
USGS 04121300 |
121 cfs |
South Branch Au Sable River Near Luzerne
USGS 04135700 |
200 cfs |
Sturgeon River At Wolverine
USGS 04127997 |
204 cfs |
Pine River Near Rudyard
USGS 04127918 |
87 cfs |
Tahquamenon River Near Paradise
USGS 04045500 |
2,120 cfs |