Mission Point Light is a
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Ligh ...
located in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
at the end of
Old Mission Point, a peninsula jutting into
Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay ( ) is an arm of Lake Michigan, located along the west coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The bay is separated from the rest of Lake Michigan by the Leelanau Peninsula. The bay is some long, ranges from wide, and up ...
north of
Traverse City. When it was built in 1870, it was an exact copy of the
Mama Juda Light (now destroyed), which was built on the
Detroit River
The Detroit River is an List of international river borders, international river in North America. The river, which forms part of the border between the U.S. state of Michigan and the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ont ...
in 1866.
The foundation is natural and emplaced. The wooden structure is painted white with black trim. The square tower is attached to a dwelling.
A fixed white Fifth Order
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens ( ; ; or ) is a type of composite compact lens (optics), lens which reduces the amount of material required compared to a conventional lens by dividing the lens into a set of concentric annular sections.
The simpler Dioptrics, d ...
was installed. The building was only one and one half stories tall. However, its placement on a sand bank 14 feet above the lake's surface created a lens focal plane of . It was visible from at sea. Maintaining the dune and protecting it and the lighthouse from the deleterious effects of wave action has been a constant struggle.
[Terry Pepper, Mission Point lighthouse at Seeing the Light.](_blank)
/ref>
For 63 years the light served to warn mariners about the shoals off the point. It was a working lighthouse from 1870 to 1933 when it was decommissioned. However, new techniques in offshore construction and the automation of lighthouse illumination made it possible to build a navigation aid on the shoal itself. In 1938, work was completed for the new stationary buoy light in of water, about northwest of Mission Point. The light ran on batteries. It was on a tall tower, and its focal plane of help make it visible for . It had a 30-second dwell time between flashes, in order to conserve power. It is still maintained by the Coast Guard today and only shines North.
Famously, the lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Ligh ...
stands a few hundred yards south of the 45th parallel north
The 45th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 45 degrees north of Earth's equator. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean.
The 45th parallel north is often called the halfway point between the ...
, halfway between the North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...
and the Equator
The equator is the circle of latitude that divides Earth into the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Southern Hemisphere, Southern Hemispheres of Earth, hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, about in circumferen ...
. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1933 and purchased by the State of Michigan. There are a pair of signs that denote its location on the parallel, and it is one of 29 places (six are in Michigan) in the U.S.A. where such signs are known to exist. In 1948, 43 local residents pooled their money to buy the lighthouse and then the Peninsula Township bought the lighthouse to restore the building.
Current status and activities
The lighthouse is located in Old Mission State Park, which is managed by Peninsula Township as Lighthouse Park, at the northern end of M-37. Visitors to the park enjoy the beach, hiking trails and picnic areas. The lighthouse and park are managed by the Lighthouse Manager employed by Peninsula Township.The park welcomes about 100,000 visitors annually from every state and dozens of foreign countries.
As reported in the Traverse City Record Eagle, in a unique program, the lighthouse society sought volunteers to work and live in the Mission Point Light during 2008. There is a fee, which benefits the light.
In 2008, the building opened for the first time to the public (it has a small museum), after serving for many years as the park manager's residence. Today, the lighthouse has a very popular and unique keeper program. The weekly keepers run the gift shop from May through October and get to stay in the updated lighthouse keepers quarters. See details about the keeper program at the website www.missionpointlighthouse.com. The nonprofit Mission Point Lighthouse Keepers Association (MPLKA) helps with funding special projects and supplying volunteers. See the website www.mplka.com
The area around the lighthouse attracts many cross country skiers. The location is becoming increasingly popular, which has subjected it to environmental issues that are being addressed by Peninsula Township.
The Old Mission Peninsula
Old or OLD may refer to:
Places
*Old, Baranya, Hungary
*Old, Northamptonshire, England
* Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD)
*OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...
is said to be a premier place to sea kayak. One gets close to shore, lighthouse, picnic grounds and parks. The bay offers a shelter from the prevailing westerly winds and from the Lake Michigan waves. Maps, rentals and guided tours are available.
Because of its form, surroundings and location, it is photogenic, having inspired photographs and illustrations, including drawings and needlepoint.Needlepoint of Mission Point Light.
/ref> The shoal at Mission Point is very shallow and the water is enjoyed by families and dog owners. Mission Point is visited by about 100,000 people annually. See the website for more information - www.missionpointlighthouse.com
Gallery
File:Missionpoint.jpg, Vintage image of the lighthouse
File:Mission Point Light 35mm.jpg, The lighthouse from the beach in August 2023
File:Old Mission Light sign 08-04-98.jpg, Sign adjacent to the lighthouse
File:OldMission-MI-lighthouse.jpg, Rear of the lighthouse in July 2006
File:Mission Point Light.jpg, The lighthouse in winter of 2009
File:Mission Point Light (8740757835).jpg, The lighthouse from the water in July 2010
See also
*Lighthouses in the United States
This is a list of lighthouses in the United States. The United States has had approximately a thousand lighthouses, lights as well as light towers, Leading lights, range lights, and pier head lights. Michigan has the most lights of any state wit ...
References
Bibliography
Bibliography on Michigan lighthouses.
* Crompton, Samuel Willard & Michael J. Rhein, ''The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses'' (2002) ; .
* Hyde, Charles K., and Ann and John Mahan. ''The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes.'' Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1995. .
* Jones, Ray & Bruce Roberts, ''American Lighthouses'' (Globe Pequot, September 1, 1998, 1st Ed.) ; .
* Jones, Ray,''The Lighthouse Encyclopedia, The Definitive Reference'' (Globe Pequot, January 1, 2004, 1st ed.) ; .
* Noble, Dennis, ''Lighthouses & Keepers: U. S. Lighthouse Service and Its Legacy'' (Annapolis: U. S. Naval Institute Press, 1997). ; .
* Oleszewski, Wes, ''Great Lakes Lighthouses, American and Canadian: A Comprehensive Directory/Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses'', (Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, Inc., 1998) .
* Penrod, John, ''Lighthouses of Michigan'', (Berrien Center, Michigan: Penrod/Hiawatha, 1998) .
* Penrose, Laurie and Bill, A'' Traveler's Guide to 116 Michigan Lighthouses'' (Petoskey, Michigan: Friede Publications, 1999).
*
* Putnam, George R., ''Lighthouses and Lightships of the United States'', (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1933).
* United States Coast Guard, ''Aids to Navigation'', (Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1945).
*
*
* Wagner, John L., ''Michigan Lighthouses: An Aerial Photographic Perspective'', (East Lansing, Michigan: John L. Wagner, 1998) .
* Wargin, Ed, ''Legends of Light: A Michigan Lighthouse Portfolio'' (Ann Arbor Media Group, 2006). .
* Wright, Larry and Wright, Patricia, ''Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia'' Hardback (Erin: Boston Mills Press, 2006) .
External links
*
Aerial photos, Old Mission Point Light, marinas.com.
Detroit News, Interactive map on Michigan lighthouses.
{{authority control
Lighthouses completed in 1870
Houses completed in 1870
Museums in Grand Traverse County, Michigan
Lighthouse museums in Michigan
1870 establishments in Michigan