Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
The original lighthouse to mark the entrance to Eagle Harbor was built in 1851, but the wooden tower soon deteriorated due to its proximity to Lake Superior. The current structure, a brick building on a rocky outcropping, was built in 1871 and has stood, mostly untouched, ever since.
As mining grew in the area throughout the 1800s, more and more ships were present throughout the Keweenaw Peninsula. Although there isn’t any large-scale mining or manufacturing in the Keweenaw today, the light is still used as a navigational beacon.
The light was automated in 1980, negating the need for lighthouse keepers on the premises. The Keweenaw County Historical Society has looked after the buildings on the rocky outcropping since 1982, and they were granted ownership of the property in 1999. In addition to the lighthouse, there is a Maritime Museum, Keweenaw History Museum, and Commercial Fishing Museum.
On our first trip through Eagle Harbor, we didn’t stop to view the lighthouse as we were running out of daylight, but on our second visit, we stopped to check it out. It’s a beautiful building, albeit small. The rocky outcropping is very dramatic, and there’s a small pebble beach area just under the lighthouse with a nice view. If you’ve got a spare half hour, exploring the grounds are well worth it. If you’ve got more time, the museums seemed quite neat–although we didn’t have time to check them out.
