Munising Rear Range Light

Munising Rear Range Light
The light in 2004
Location Munising, Michigan
Coordinates
Year first constructed 1908
Year first lit 1908
Construction Steel
Tower shape Conical
Markings / pattern White
Height 15 feet (4.6 m)
Focal height 107 feet (33 m)
Characteristic F R
ARLHS number USA-949
USCG number 7-14580[1]

The Munising Rear Range Light works with the Munising Front Range Light to project a line of light out into Lake Superior in order to guide boats from the open lake into the safe harbor at Munising, Michigan. This harbor is a natural bay (thus providing protection from easterly or westerly storms) and sheltered on the north by Grand Island. Grand Island however provides a serious navigation hazard, and as boats navigate in the East Channel, there are several dangerous rock ledges that will sink the unwary captain. This pair of range lights replaced the ineffective Grand Island East Channel Light in 1905. The history of these lighthouses is documented by Terry Pepper[2] and is not reproduced here.

The light is located on the hill south of the village of Munising.[3] It is only a 15-foot (4.6 m) steel tower, but located up on the hill, it is 107 feet (33 m) above the lake level. It contains an incandescent electric light inside a red shield.

References

  1. ^ (PDF) Light List, Volume VII, Great Lakes. Light List. United States Coast Guard. 2011. p. 137. http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lightLists/LightList%20V7.pdf. 
  2. ^ Terry Pepper, Seeing the light.
  3. ^ "The Eastern Lighthouses of Lake Superior", Lighthouses R us

External links