Thank you for visiting with us at the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival!
In case you didn’t already know…
The state of Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state, circa 110, with Lake Michigan having about 50.
The reason that a few of the very tall Michigan lighthouses are covered in iron plates is that the original material was Milwaukee or cream brick. It easily erodes in weather and the plates were added in later years to strengthen the towers.
The last manned lighthouse in the Great Lakes was Point Betsy in Michigan on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Thanks to Wayne Wheeler, founder and former head of the U.S. Lighthouse Society for the interesting facts.