Ontonagon Lighthouse, Ontonagon, Michigan
ONTONAGON LIGHT, MICHIGAN
ONTONAGON RIVER MOUTH/LAKE SUPERIOR
Station Established: 1852
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1866
Operational? NO
Automated? UNK
Deactivated: 1964
Foundation Materials: NATURAL/EMPLACED
Construction Materials: BRICK
Tower Shape: SQUARE
Markings/Pattern: YELLOW BRICK W/BLACK LANTERN
Relationship to Other Structure: ATTACHED
Original Lens: FIFTH ORDER, FRESNEL 1857
Historical Information:
1852 – First brick tower was built. The original lighthouse was an integral design with the lantern on top of the keeper’s dwelling.
1866 – Second tower built.
1964 – Ownership was transferred to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
2003 – Ownership passed from the Corps of Engineers to the Ontonagon County Historical Society. The Fresnel lens is on display at the OCH Museum.
Keepers:
Samuel Peck (1853-1857)
Michael Spellman (1857-1862)
Adolphus Schuler (1862-1864)
Thomas Stripe (1864-1883)
James Corgan (1883-1919)
Charles Henry (1922-1925)
Earl Hand (1922-1925)
Fred Warner (1925-1939)
James Gagnon (1939-1944)
Alvah Carpenter (1944)
Arnold Huuki (1945-1963)
Researched and written by Marie Vincent, a volunteer through the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society.