Michigan's First Lighthouse Collapsed, But You Can Climb Its Replacement
The Fort Gratiot Lighthouse has been standing for nearly 200 years, and it's also near the best beach I've seen on Lake Huron
Port Huron — There are very few landmarks left in Michigan still standing after nearly 200 years. There are even fewer that you can actually stand on.
But just outside of Port Huron, there's one that's managed to do both.
The Fort Gratiot Lighthouse sits right on the shoreline where Lake Huron meets the St. Clair River, just north of the Blue Water Bridge. It's been here since the early 1800s, which means it's not only the oldest lighthouse in Michigan, but also one of the only active lighthouses left where visitors can actually go inside and climb to the top.
There's a $12 admission fee, which grants you entry to the lighthouse as well as a guided tour of the entire Fort Gratiot Light Station.
You'll walk through some of the old keeper's houses, a restored fog signal building, and the former post hospital before finally ending at the lighthouse. There, visitors can step inside and, if they choose, climb all 94 steps of the spiral staircase to the top.
If you can handle the stairs without getting too dizzy, the view is an absolute must-see. The catwalk wraps all the way around the top of the lighthouse, and you can see Lake Huron, the St. Clair River, the Blue Water Bridge, and even Canada across the water.
But as cool as the lighthouse is, its 200-year-old history might be even cooler.
The site itself dates all the way back to the War of 1812. It was originally built to help guard the meeting point of Lake Huron and the St. Clair River. The lighthouse didn't come until a few years later.
As more and more ships started traveling through the Great Lakes in the early 1800s, the entrance to the St. Clair River became one of the busiest—and most difficult—stretches of water to navigate.
So in 1823, Congress approved funding for Michigan's very first lighthouse.
That original tower went up in 1825, but it sure didn't last long! Only three short years after it was first constructed, a horrible storm caused the entire thing to collapse into the river.
Congress quickly approved funding for a replacement, and in 1829, a new lighthouse was built.
This one was placed a little farther north than the original tower, keeping it safe from future storms and easier for ships to spot as they entered the St. Clair River.
And today, nearly two centuries later, that same lighthouse is still standing—stronger than ever and welcoming new visitors every single day.
The lighthouse is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through Sep. 13 before switching to weekends only through the end of December. Tickets are limited and sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so I'd definitely recommend calling ahead to secure your spot.
In addition to the Light Station, I'd say the entire area is definitely worth checking out. The whole site is part of Lighthouse Park, which has one of the nicest little beaches in Port Huron.
We went for a quick dip after touring the lighthouse, and it quickly became one of my favorite Lake Huron beaches. The water was crystal clear, there was plenty of room to spread out, clean bathrooms, and you get a great view of everyone waiting in customs along the bridge while you tan.
If you're even remotely interested in Michigan history or just looking for some incredible views of Lake Huron, this place is pretty hard to beat. We've still got a few weeks of summer left, so I'd definitely try to fit this one into your itinerary.
