Robert H. Manning Memorial Light - Empire

When Robert H. Manning passed away in 1989 at the age of 62, his family knew the most fitting way to honor him would be to construct a lighthouse in his memory. A life-long resident of Empire, Manning was an avid fisherman and spent much of his time on Lake Michigan indulging his passion. On many trips back from Lake Michigan, he would jokingly comment that a lighthouse at Empire would aid him greatly on his return trips after sunset.

Family and friends set to gathering funds and in 1990, the 35-foot wooden lighthouse with a white stucco finish and grey stained windows was completed. The tower is caped with a green lantern room and railing and features a gold ball at the apex of the lantern room roof. The lighthouse, which was dedicated to Manning in 1991, sits in a park between Glen Lake and the rolling waves of the Lake Michigan shoreline.

The Manning Light is the newest beacon in Michigan and is only the second memorial light in the state. The Coast Guard has added this lighthouse to its nautical charts. Empire is located in Leelanau County, along the Sleeping Bear Dune National Lakeshore.

Leelanau Peninsula Chamber: 231-256-9895
West Michigan Tourist Association: 800-442-2084
Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association: 313-436-9150