Isle Royale Lighthouse

Menagerie Island

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Lake Superior

In the early 1870s, mining and fishing interests petitioned the Lighthouse Board to establish a light near the entrance to Siskiwit Bay on Isle Royale. At that time, a 295-foot wharf served the operations of Island Mine at Siskiwit Bay, and fishing camps dotted the area. Approval came on March 3, 1873, and surveys conducted in 1874 concluded that Menagerie Island would be the best place to build the light. Construction of the Isle Royale Light began in 1875 and thanks to a very aggressive work effort, the light was completed the same year. It was first lit on September 20, 1875.

In 1891, a boat house, landing crib, boatways and a 4-ton boat-hoisting winch were added. In 1896, the boat landing was extended another 16 feet to accommodate larger lighthouse tenders. The boatways were extended 38 feet and the crib was rebuilt. In 1906, a concrete-block oil house was built. It held 500 gallons of fuel for the oil-burning lamp and heating.

A Fourth Order Fresnel lens built by Henri Le Paute of Paris was once installed. The light was automated in 1941, when a battery-powered electric light was installed. The original Fresnel lens was removed in 1993 and replaced with a modern, solar-powered optic.

This 55-foot tower is located on Menagerie Island, a rocky spit that is one of the many islands making up the Isle Royale archipelago in western Lake Superior. It marks the entrance to Siskiwit Bay, a harbor of refuge on Isle Royale. The 61-foot tall tower is 16 feet across at the base. The outside tower wall is 40" thick at the base, tapering to 10" thick at the top. The keeper's residence is built of unpainted red Jacobsville sandstone. Large iron shutters were installed to completely cover the windows, keeping them from breaking in severe storms that sometimes included huge waves crashing over the entire island.

Menagerie Island received its name in honor of a former lighthouse keeper, John H. Malone, who had a large family that included 11 children. One son, John A. Malone, succeeded his father as keeper. The lighthouse is now part of Isle Royale National Park and under the control of the National Park Service.