Mission Point Lighthouse

Posted byLinda Osborne CynowaPosted inGreat Lakes Lighthouses, Great Lakes Lighthouses Research, History, United States Atlantic Coast Lighthouse, United States LighthousesTags:, , , , ,

Linda’s Monthly Monday Morning Moaning’s for January 2, 2023 – Happy New Year!

Sitting near the 45th Parallel between the water and forest on three sides, at the end of the Old Mission Peninsula, you will find the Mission Point Lighthouse. On the water side you can look out over the rocky beach at the north end of Grand Traverse Bay. Just one of Lake Michigan’s finest.

Back of the light where the road is situated.

When lighthouse when built in 1870, not having been done earlier due to the Civil War, the school house design was decided upon. It had six rooms on the ground floor and a bedroom and supply area on the second floor. The tower above the second floor had a small area made for the lightning mechanism. Whale oil and later kerosene was used to light the 5th Order Fresnel Lens, and with its intense light, it had a visibly of 13 miles.

Here was the start of the fence, shown above, that was soon needed in order to protect the lighthouse, because of visitors to the area. The light would only be lit for navigational purposes from 1870 to 1933 when it was decommissioned by using an automatic buoy light off shore.

Vandals made it necessary to find a solution to protect this light after it was automated in 1933, by 1948, 43 residents of the Old Mission Peninsula made a collection of $1,900. in order that the township could purchase the lighthouse and grounds surrounding it. The Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society have devoted their time and funds, from visitors, to seeing that this light is today still protected and cared for.

Water side view with beach.

Only seven keepers lived in the lighthouse during its important years for navigation. Sarah Noyes Lane was the only female keeper at Mission Point. Sarah was born in October of 1839, she married John Lane in 1857, a prominent Great Lakes ship captain, who went on to be a keeper at the light. For the last eight years of her husbands life, Sarah upheld her husbands duties, due to his ill health. When her husband passed away, Sarah was appointed the keeper in December 1906, and would hold the position until December of 1907. Sarah passed away in 1919 in Detroit, and laid to rest next to her husband in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Monroe, Michigan.

Thank you to the Lighthouse Digest, the Mission Point Lighthouse Historical Society. The booklet ‘Mission Point Lighthouse’ by Laura Johnson and Stefanie Staley. Postcard images property of the author.

On that ‘wee note’ till Monday, February 6, 2023

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Published by Linda Osborne Cynowa

Linda Osborne Cynowa has lived in the Washington Township community since 2007. She moved to this area because of its beautiful hills, stunning scenery, and fruit orchards. Linda’s background is in photography, genealogy, and with a lifelong love of history, found herself working in a voluntary capacity with the Romeo Community Archives at the Romeo Kezar Library. She researched the many historic homes and families in the Romeo and Washington area, which led to a keen interest and knowledge of the area’s history. With a love of the Arcadia Publishing ‘Images of America’ books, she was always bothered that Washington Township wasn’t represented. When inquiring about this, she was told, “You haven’t written it yet”! With the encouragement of the Archivists at the Community Archives, a proposal was submitted for consideration. In September of 2019, WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP became part of the ‘Images of America’ series.

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