Forty Mile Point Light - Current Operations, Maintenance, Viewing and Events

Current Operations, Maintenance, Viewing and Events

During the Big Blow of 1905, twenty-seven wooden vessels were lost. The steamer Joseph S. Fay ran aground, and a part of its hull rests on the beach approximately 200 feet (61 m) north of the Lighthouse. there is a Michigan historical marker honoring Forty Mile Light, there is a marker concerning the "Graveyard of Ships." The marker states:

• Registered Historical Marker Site L2186 was erected 2007 Forty Mile Point Lighthouse / Graveyard of Ships. The Graveyard of Ships marker states:
  • Named by seventeenth century French explorers La Mer Douce the sweet or freshwater sea, Lake Huron is the second largest of the five Great Lakes. It has over 3,800 miles (6,100 km) of shoreline and contains 30,000 islands, among them Manitoulin, the world's largest freshwater island. Violent storms on the "sweet sea" have made it dangerous for ships. As of 2006, 1,200 wrecks had been recorded. During the Big Blow of 1905, twenty-seven wooden vessels were lost. One of these, the steamer Joseph S. Fay, ran aground. A portion of its hull rests on the beach approximately 200 feet (61 m) north of the Forty Mile Lighthouse. The Great Storm of 1913 was responsible for sinking many modern ships.

Indeed, skeletons of ships are only a short distance from the light station. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. National Register Reference #84001830 Name of Listing: FORTY MILE POINT LIGHT STATION (U.S. COAST GUARD/GREAT LAKES TR).

The site is now a county park (well-marked) 6-mile (9.7 km) north of Rogers City on US 23, a/k/a the Sunrise Side Coastal Highway. A map with the lights in the area is available at lighthousesRus. The park is accessible from the highway—do not turn on to 40 Mile Point road.

The lighthouse anchors one end of a 7-mile (11 km)bike path that is near and sometimes in the right of way along US 23, and runs by Hoeft State Park and to Rogers City. The bike trail was completed in late May, 2009.

The lighthhouse is owned by Presque County and operated by the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse Society. The park grounds are open to the public year round from 8.00 AM to sundown. The lighthouse is open for tours from the Friday before Memorial Day through the end of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival in mid October. Tour hours are Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. More information may be obtained from the Rogers City Chamber of Commerce at (800) 622-4148.

Importantly, the many structures that were part of the installation remain: lighthouse; Lighthouse keeper quarters; bunkhouse (newly renovated in 2006-2007), foghorn signal building (the diaphone has been removed), oil house, and brick outhouse. The surrounding park also houses the wheelhouse of the first Calcite freighter.

The fourth order Fresnel lens is in place and in use, and access to the tower provides a view of it and the Lakeshore. The Fresnel lens is still operative, being one of Only 70 such lenses that remain operational in the United States, sixteen of which are use on the Great Lakes of which eight are in Michigan.

There are many recurrent events at the lighthouse. A calendar is available.

Half of the lighthouse is now a museum, the other half is caretaker's quarters.

Membership in the 40-Mile Point Lighthouse Society is $20.00 per year, and the Society may be reached at: 40 Mile Point Lighthouse Society, PO Box 205, Rogers City, MI 49779.