St. Joseph Pier Lighthouse
The St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights are lighthouses in St. Joseph, Michigan, US, at the entrance to the St. Joseph River on Lake Michigan. The station was built in 1832 with the current lights built in 1906 and 1907; they were decommissioned in 2005.
St. Joseph was first platted in 1829, and the first lighthouse at the site, located on the shore, was built in 1832. Construction began on harbor piers in 1836, and by 1848 a beacon light had been established on the pier. The onshore lighthouse was replaced in 1859, and a new pierhead beacon was constructed on the south pier in 1870. In 1881, this beacon was transferred to the north pier. In 1897 a pole light was erected 400 feet shoreward to serve as a rear range light. In 1904, the pier was extended, and the range lights were moved lakeward. In 1906/07, the present set of range lights was constructed.
The 1859 lighthouse remained in use until 1919 when a tower was erected on the south pier. It was demolished in 1955. In 2008, the north pier inner and outer range lights were deemed excess. Ownership of the lights was transferred to the city of St. Joseph in 2013. A committee was formed in 2014 which raised $2 million in private donations to fully restore the pier range lights. The project to preserve the lighthouses was completed in 2016.
The foghorn at the station was converted to electronic in 1970.
These two towers work together to form a range system. With a nearly 22-foot difference in height, the two lights are both visible simultaneously to boats out in the lake. When the two lights appear aligned directly on top of each other, the ship is also aligned with the mouth of the river and can sail safely between the two piers.
Where it is:
Near Benton Harbor on Interstate 94, take either I-94 Business Route into St. Joseph. From downtown St. Joseph, take Highway 63 over St. Joseph River. After crossing the river, turn left on Klock Road, which will become Upton Drive. Turn right onto Marina Drive and then left on Ridgeway Drive which will lead to Tiscornia Park, where you can park and walk to St. Joseph Lighthouses on the pier.
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
GPS:
42°6’57.504″ N 86°29’35.184″ W
Hours:
Tours are held in the summer on Saturdays from 10 am to 7 pm June thru August.
The lighthouse is owned by the City of St. Joseph. Grounds open, towers closed.
Cost:
Go inside the North Pier Inner Light first floor for free, or buy a ticket to climb to the top.
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More Photographic Destinations in Michigan
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.