White Shoal Light

Brash ice builds around White Shoal Light.
Because of growing freighter traffic in and through the Straits of Mackinac, this light was part of a larger plan to build lighthouses to protect ships and mariners in the area. 

This is one of the first three "lightship stations" of the Great Lakes.  Its construction, along with Waugoshance Light, was a "major engineering feat" because of its distance and isolation from land.

This crib style light was built in 1912 at a cost of $225,000.00. In addition to a fog signal, it also had a submersible bell that would toll the number "23" to warn off mariners.

This early 20th Century technological innovation was an audible precursor to a mid Century innovation using radar, RACON, which was later installed at this location.

Location:  Northern Lake Michigan
State:  Michigan
Photographer:  PAc Jeff Hall
Date:  January 23, 2004