De Tour Reef Light

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The DeTour Reef Light is a non-profit-operated lighthouse marking the southern entrance of the DeTour Passage between Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Drummond Island. The DeTour Passage marks the northern end of Lake Huron, and is used by almost all of the Great Lakes commercial freight traffic moving to and from Lake Superior, approximately 5,000 vessel movements annually. In addition, many recreational boaters use the passage. The nearest town is DeTour, Michigan.

1 Lighthouse history
2 Lighthouse privatization
3 Lighthouse relics
4 External links

[edit] Lighthouse history

The southern entrance to DeTour Passage is made dangerous by a shoal, DeTour Reef. In order to enter or leave the passage, boats must thread past a shallow area no more than 23 feet (7 m) deep. The DeTour Reef Lighthouse, raised in 1931, not only marks the channel, but also is built atop DeTour Reef, and warns boats away from it. The lighthouse and its concrete base are 83 feet (25 m) tall.

[edit] Lighthouse privatization

Like most U.S. lighthouses, the DeTour Reef Lighthouse is no longer needed by its former owner, the United States Coast Guard. Beginning in 1998, they transferred ownership responsibilities for the light to the DeTour Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society (DRLPS), its current owner. The DRLPS renovated the light at a cost of $1.2 million.

As of 2006, the DRLPS offers boat trips to and tours of the lighthouse. A significant fee is charged to help cover the operating costs of maintaining the lighthouse.

The DeTour Reef Lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

[edit] Lighthouse relics

The DeTour Reef Light's former 3½-order Fresnel lens, taken out of service in 1978, is displayed at the DeTour Passage Historical Museum in DeTour, Mich., and the lighthouse's former diaphone foghorn is displayed at the Drummond Island Historical Museum.