Au Sable Point, MI

Photographer: Keith W. Churill

Au Sable Point

Grand Marais, Michigan

Picture Rocks National Lakeshore

Built : 1874

Construction : Conical brick

Status : Active, Public Access

Location : 31 miles East of Munising, MI. 13 miles West of Grand Marais, MI.

Height : 87 feet

Access : Car, with a beautiful hike through Picture Rocks National Lakeshore. Enter the park from H-58, the Park Rangers can direct you to the trail that will take you to the Light. The other way is just West of the Park entrance at Hurricane River Campgrounds. From here you can take the more scenic route, about a 1.5 mile hike along the Picture Rocks shoreline. NOTE: During summer months "Black Flies" can be a real nuisance. Be sure to wear repellant, long pants and long sleeve apparel.

History : Located in the beautiful Picture Rock National Lakeshore, this light stands in one of the Lake Superior's most beautiful area's. During the 1860's and 1870's, ships had no aid to navigate from Whitefish Point to Grand Island. Congress soon granted $40,000 for the construction of this light. The lighthouse was constructed from July, 1873 through August, 1874. The completed structure has a base diameter of 16 feet with a height of 87 feet. The lens focal plane is 107 feet above lake level. The original light keeper's dwelling only had one story, with the second story added in 1909 along with an additional light keepers building that same year. A fog signal building was also built at this site. In 1958 the Coast Guard automated the light, also transferring the property to Picture Rocks National Lakeshore.

Photographer: Keith W. Churill

The above photograph shows the beautiful Lake Superior Shoreline with the Grand Sable Dunes in the background. These dunes rise to 300 feet above the water. Near the lighthouse is another area of interest: the "Logslide", an area used in the logging days where logs were slid down the dunes for transport.

Based on historical records, the keepers of this lighthouse over the years were as follows:

1874 to 1876 Casper Kuhn

1876 to 1879 Napoleon Beedon

1879 to 1883 Frederick W. Boesler, Sr.

1884 to 1896 Gus Gigandet

1897 to 1903 Herbert W. Weeks

1903 to 1905 Otto Bufe

1905 to 1910 Thomas E. Irvine

1910 to 1915 James Kay

1915 to 1923 John Brooks

1923 to 1930 Klass Hamringa

1930 to 1936 Arthur Taylor

1937 to 1945 Edward T. McGregor

Photo courtesy of: U.S. Coast Guard