The Grand Island East Channel Lighthouse near Munising, is on the southeast shore of Grand Island, which is a National Recreation Area, but the Lighthouse itself is on private property. So, Walter Dennis takes us on a tour with his drone to see it at all different angles without trespassing. It can also be viewed from the water on local commercial boat tours, by airplane or by private boat or kayak. I prefer Walter’s tour, since it’s free and from the comfort of my home and yours. Check out the color of the water around this spot and the sandbars all along in front of the Lighthouse. No wonder this was a working Light for many years. This lighthouse has a claim to fame that it is one of the most photographed lighthouses on the Great Lakes as two local boat tour companies navigate past it. It sure is different looking with its weathered wood exterior, but that’s what makes it so unique I think.

We get a number of different views and looks at this Lighthouse and surrounding area in Walter’s video. Again, take note of the color of the water there and where the video shows the channels and sandbars, too.

Beautiful lighthouse! Proud to say NMU Wildcats were involved in saving it:

In 1999, the Alger County Historical Society formed the East Channel Lighthouse Rescue Committee to try to save the building from neglect and erosion. The committee’s goal wasn’t to restore the lighthouse to the period when it was staffed and painted white, but rather to stabilize it and maintain its now cherished rustic appearance.

The committee raised $4,000 by selling raffle tickets for a drawing, which had a hand-made lighthouse quilt as one of its three prizes, and the American Lighthouse Foundation wrote a check for $5,000, after matching $2,500 it had received in donations for the lighthouse. During the summer of 2000, around 600 ten-foot-long cedar posts were transported to Grand Island and then driven into the sand in front of the lighthouse. Volunteers also collected over 150 tons of rocks to fill wire cages that were placed behind the posts to complete the shore protection.

Work on the lighthouse itself commenced in the summer of 2002, when the building was gently lifted off its stone foundation, one side at a time, so the rotted timber sill and floor joists could be replaced. The exterior walls were then reinforced and attached to the new structural members to strengthen the building’s core. During the summer of 2003, the lantern room was disassembled so the deck and catwalk could be rebuilt. Students at Northern Michigan University in Marquette restored the lantern room, which was placed back atop the tower in 2004, proudly showing off its new copper roof. New cedar siding was installed rough side out on three sides of the lighthouse in 2005 and aged with weathered gray stain. The structure still displays its original siding on the entire northeast side. Thanks to a generous and devoted community, East Channel Lighthouse now stands ready to face the twenty-first century.

Greetings:

Thank you JBuck.

We've vacationed in that area for 30+ years and I always wondered who put the time and money into the restoration.

Nice to know that the "old" look is good for many more years to come.

JT

Ditto, thanks JBuck for that great information. Visited the Munising /Pictured Rocks area a few years ago and wondered about that lighthouse.
Video is very nice and relaxing.

Speaking of visiting, former hurricane Henri (now tropical storm Henri) is making its presence known here in northeastern CT. Not too bad so far but because we're in a heavily wooded area of the state, they're predicting power outages that could last for up to 3 weeks. Sure hope they're wrong!

Thank you JBuck...Thanks to you and your friends,
this beauty still exists. AMAZING! Hat's off...well
done.

I love the Dennis Family Adventures. They do such
wonderful things...ADOPT me! LOL

Be careful up there George! Be well.

Looks like the seawall on the one side is not able
to keep the water out. I hope erosion can be kept
at bay. I once saw an episode of NOVA where they
moved an entire lighthouse inland. Similarly, an
historic pavilion at Orchard Beach State park had
to be moved inland. Maybe they need to start
fundraising for that sort of thing for the Grand
Island Light.

Thanks Donna, but before UC jumps in here and points out i was loooooong gone from Northern before this project was started, i will admit it was alumni from the more recent past who were kind enough to work on the restoration.

What's so cool about Walter's pictures is getting to see the back of the lighthouse and the view the keepers had!

Kathyrn Laughlin (Kathyl), i too feared the high waters were going to undermine the lighthouse and hope as the levels go down the threat will be reduced. The story you saw may have been when they moved the Cape Hatteras light.

Jbuck, I would never disclose your NMU tenure!!
lol:-)) and I was not aware of the history, so
thank you for sharing... it's a beautiful
lighthouse and area for sure!!
Really enjoyed the video and music, I too am
subscribed to the Dennis Family Adventures on
YouTube, they are fantastic and I highly
recommend others tune in and subscribe as well!!
That area ( Munising, Christmas, Alger, Chocolay)
I would love to move there. Close to the Airport
in Marquette and Healthcare, we'll see, it could
happen down the road!!

A very handsome looking structure. Unfortunately,
I don't have an account with YouTube due to
Cyberphobia.

How are you doing George L. (Yooperinct)? Power still on? Indiana Michigan Power sent a crew of 300 to Connecticut to be ready to help when it was safe to get the power back on.

A little late, JBuck, but doing okay here. We were very fortunate in this area. Pumping out the basement, tho! Power's back on. Would gladly buy those power crews coffee (or maybe a case of good craft beer!) from Indiana and elsewhere.