Privy Addition at Old Mackinac Point Posted August 30, 2019 Restoring a historic site to its original appearance is usually an ongoing activity. At the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, restoration has been underway since 2004 to return the station buildings and grounds to the way they looked just over a century ago. This summer, another small historic addition appeared at the lighthouse that you may not have noticed. Attached to the back of the station barn, you can now see a reconstructed privy cleanout, which allowed the keepers to maintain the privy located in the barn between 1892 and 1928. (more…)
What’s upstairs at Old Mackinac Point? Posted July 27, 2019 We get asked it all of the time: what’s upstairs at the lighthouse? Join Curator of History Craig Wilson for a look upstairs at the venerable lighthouse in this quick video. (more…)
The Fog Whistle Posted September 14, 2018 Plans for a Lighthouse Service 10-inch whistle, from the 1902 Instructions to Light-Keepers. Although the light at the top of the tower may be the defining feature of most lighthouses, stations like Old Mackinac Point usually had another, equally valuable signaling system to help keep sailors safe. The light, while valuable in relatively clear conditions, couldn’t always be seen through haze, smoke, driving rain, or fog. During times of low visibility, the keepers turned on Old Mackinac Point’s other signaling system: the fog whistle. (more…)
Coming Soon to Old Mackinac Point Posted February 9, 2018 Although the museums and historic sites are closed, winter is a busy time here at Mackinac State Historic Parks! One of many projects currently taking place is the installation of a new science and technology exhibit at the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse in Mackinaw City. (more…)
Visitors at Old Mackinac Point Posted March 9, 2017 Some visitors, like this Lighthouse Service inspector being greeted by Keeper George Marshall, came on official business. The Old Mackinac Point light station was always popular with visitors. While tourists today visit the preserved light station as an historic site and museum, beginning in 1890 visitors also toured the station while it served as an active aid to navigation. (more…)
Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and the Armistice Day Storm of 1940 Posted November 17, 2016 November storms on the Great Lakes are infamous for their ferocity and violence. Some, such as the Great Storm of 1913, which sank 12 ships and killed over 250 people, or the 1975 storm that sank the Edmund Fitzgerald, are well known. In November 1940, another strong storm struck the Great Lakes and caused widespread damage, including in the Straits of Mackinac. (more…)
Life as a Child at Old Mackinac Point Posted July 18, 2016 Although it was an official government installation intended to guide ships safely through the Straits of Mackinac, the Old Mackinac Point Light Station was also home to several families, complete with pets and children. Between 1890 and 1957, several kids lived at the station, each experiencing and sometimes helping with the daily routine of operating a Great Lakes lighthouse. Olsens- Keeper Henrik Olsen with his wife, Nila, and their sons Ray and Bruce. Keeper James Marshall poses with his three children sometime around 1930. They are proudly displaying the “Efficiency” flag awarded to Old Mackinac Point. Chester Marshall and Delcie, daughter of his sister Ethel, play outside on the station grounds in 1916. (more…)
