pictured Fort Gratiot vintage postcard on Lake Huron, courtesy Great Lakes Cruises

Michigan History: Michigan's Oldest Lighthouse Was Built for the War of 1812

You may have seen photos of or visited a Great Lakes lighthouse over the years. They're fun family attractions on beaches around the coasts of Michigan and surrounding states bordering on Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, which together are watched over by around 300 active lighthouses and nearly 100 additional idled ones -- each one with a unique history of shipwrecks and what people might consider the loneliest (or most peaceful) job in the world.

pictured the view from Fort Gratiot Light, over the St. Clair River, Lake Huron not pictured to the left, Blue Water Bridge to Sarnia, Ontario, at right, courtesy Port Huron Museum

Fort Gratiot is the oldest lighthouse on the Great Lakes. Believe it or not, it was built in 1814 during the War of 1812 to guard the convergence of the St. Clair River with Lake Huron. Charles Gratiot was an engineer supervising construction. The U.S. Army took possession of the building on and off until 1879 to guide a new boon of ships traffic on Lake Huron in the early 1800s.

Keeper's Dwelling in Fort Gratiot Lighthouse pictured, image courtesy Port Huron Museum

According to Port Huron Museum and the Library of Congress, the first Fort Gratiot Light in the Port Huron area after the original Fort Gratiot was built in 1825 near where the Blue Water Bridge to Canada stands today. The original tower crumbled into the river due to poor construction and was quickly replaced with a better positioned light to guide ships in a location by the St. Clair River that was easier for ships' captains to spot.

pictured Split Rock Lighthouse of Minnesota on Lake Superior, image courtesy Great Lakes Cruises

Fort Gratiot was extended from its original height of 65 feet to 82 feet in the early 1860s. A Coast Guard station still watches over the location today alongside the lighthouse. Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair are one of the busiest waterways in the world, with constant freighters, yachts, and fishing boats trolling through the narrows.

pictured Marquette Lighthouse, Marquette, Michigan, on Lake Superior, image courtesy Great Lakes Cruises

Most lighthouses can't be visited while in active use in Michigan, but Fort Gratiot is one of the few operating lighthouses in the region that can be visited, including allowing visitors to climb the light tower and walk on the catwalk that towers over the water below. Lake Huron is visible opening to the north, and south is the Blue Water Bridge, the St. Clair River, and Point Edward, Ontario. The Blue Water Bridge is aptly named after the stunningly aqua blue water that flows south through Lake Huron over limestone beds that accentuate the color, so it's quite a view on a sunny day.

Each lighthouse built around the Great Lakes has a unique architectural style, a history of the lightkeepers and shipwrecks and storms to hit the area (some legendary, such as the sinking of the F. Scott Fitzgerald). If you would like to take a tour of Great Lakes lighthouses, you can learn more about them at Great Lakes Cruises, or plan a road trip following lighthouse tours around the coast of Michigan or surrounding states by staying in Airbnbs and bed and breakfasts in some truly lovely beach towns. Might we suggest Ludington, Muskegon, Manistee, and Petoskey on Lake Michigan (we love staying in Kaye's Sunset Glory bayview apartment downtown via Airbnb in Petoskey!), and the Fort Gratiot Port Huron, Port Sanilac, and Mackinac Lighthouses on Lake Huron for starters around the coast of lower Michigan this summer?

Cronicle will be publishing a series of poetry with paranormal stories of haunted lighthouses in 2025/2026. Stay tuned for more lighthouse stories and images from the beautiful beaches around the Great Lakes.