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Marking the entrance to the DeTour Passage and St. Mary's River in Lake Huron at the eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the DeTour Reef Light is well known to ship captains and pleasure boaters who sail the upper Great Lakes.

There has been a light at this strategically important connecting route between Lake Huron and Lake Superior since 1848. DeTour Point Light Station (built in 1847) guided vessels for generations. Due to ever-increasing commercial vessel traffic passing the dangerous reef (averaged 77 per day in 1919) the DeTour Reef Light was built one mile offshore in 1931 at a cost of $140,000 and 327 working days. The lighthouse stands as a testament to the importance of shipping in the region as the commerce from the Lake Superior Basin contributed greatly to the country's economic development.

The original onshore DeTour Point Light Station, seen at right in this 1914 photograph, was constructed in 1848. It was replaced by the current offshore light in 1931; the successor light was automated in 1974. (Photo credit: Woodward Lighthouse Collection.)

According to U. S. Coast Guard officials in 1997, modern shipboard navigation systems have rendered the lighthouse obsolete. Government regulations, however, do allow for special groups to obtain long-term leases on such excess property for the purpose of preservation.

DeTour Reef Light's 3½ Order Fresnel Lens is on display at the DeTour Passage Historical Museum in DeTour Village, MI. The lens, made in Paris, was installed on the DeTour Point Light in 1908 and transferred to the offshore DeTour Reef Light in 1931. the light was white with a one-second flash and a nine-second eclipse and could be seen from 17 miles away. (Photo credit: Jeri Baron Feltner 2000).

In January 1998, civic leaders from DeTour Village and Drummond Island met to form the DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society, a nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization. The purpose of the Society is to establish, support and promote efforts in the preservation and restora tion of the DeTour Reef Light; to achieve the safe keeping of the building, artifacts and records; to educate and inform the public on its history; and to raise awareness about the importance of volunteers in maintaining and preserving the DeTour Reef Light for all present and future generations. DRLPS volunteers are working diligently to preserve the lighthouse. Society membership has reached 550 coast-to-coast.

The Art Deco-style steel-framed lighthouse sits on a 20-foot high, 60-foot square concrete and steel crib pier in 24 feet of water. Rising from this platform and painted white with a red roof, the steel-framed square tower of three distinct levels is 63 feet high and the focal plane is 74 feet. Automated in 1974, the light can be seen from 17 miles. (Photo credit for picture at right: Woodward Lighthouse History Collection.)

The U. S. Coast Guard removed lead paint and encapsulated the asbestos in the lighthouse for the DRLPS in early 2000. On September 5, 2000, the Coast Guard granted the DRLPS a 20-year lease for the lighthouse.

The DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society, formed in 1998, hopes to preserve and restore this lighthouse as resources become available. An educational display was developed with a Coastal management Program grant, and the deck cranes will be restored with a Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program Grant. Along with restoration and preservation of the lighthouse, DRLPS plans to offer boat tours to the lighthouse, develop an on shore viewing station, and continue to broaden the public's appreciation of this magnificent monument to Michigan's maritime heritage. (Photo credit: DRLPS President Bob Jones with the original foghorn restored by Jeff Laser on display at the Drummond Island Historical Museum. Jeff Laser photo 1999.)

For the latest information, contact the DRLPS at P.O. Box 519, DeTour Village, MI 49725, or call (906) 297-8888 or (906) 297-5704. You may also check for updated information at the DRLPS web site.

In August of 2001, I visited the DeTour Passage Historical Museum for the express purpose of photographing the DeTour Reef Light Fresnel lens displayed there. I was extremely disappointed at what I found, and I want to share my experience with others who hope to photograph this lens. First, I expected the lens to be displayed out in the open, as it appears in the photograph published in the museum brochure (see Feltner photo above). This is misleading, as the lens has been mounted on a pedestal in a closet-like enclosure about four feet square with a floor-to-ceiling glass window between the visitor and the lens. This immediately causes problems with reflections in the glass. A waist-high metal pipe has been mounted across the glass. It will appear in your pictures. The inside of the display closet has been painted black, which necessitates a longer exposure if you are not using flash. This would not be a problem, except for the fact that the lens is rotating while on display. The combination of the dark background, lens rotation, and reflections makes for very challenging photography. To complicate matters even further, there is another exhibit display case in front of the lens that makes it difficult to find a good place to stand or set up your tripod in order to compose your photo. Finally, there are some nearby ceiling globe lights that reflect in the glass, but at least the museum attendant was willing to extinguish them at my request. While I was able to get an acceptable picture, this is a very tough lens to photograph!