Spectacle Reef Light Station

Just below the surface of the shallow waters in the Straits of Mackinac are some of the most dangerous shoals in the entire Great Lakes. The rocks of Spectacle Reef resemble a pair of eyeglasses. At the shallowest point, only seven feet separate the rocks from the water's surface.

Located 11 miles east of the Straits of Mackinac in Lake Huron, Spectacle Reef Light was built with limestone brought from Marblehead, Ohio. This was another light built by Orlando M. Poe, who began the project in 1870. While the lighthouse was being built, the operation was based 16 miles northwest of the reef at Scammon's Harbor.

This light took four years to build, because of its remote location. At the time it was built, Spectacle Reef Light was the most expensive lighthouse built on the Great Lakes, at a price tag of $406,000. It was also one of the most challenging lights to build. Each spring, workers had to deal with massive ice buildups that often eroded much of the previous year's work. In May 1874, crews had to cut through 30 feet of ice before work could begin.

In June 1874, the lantern was lit for the first time with the original second order Fresnel lens. It has since been removed and is now on exhibit at the Great Lakes Historical Society Museum in Vermillion, Ohio. The tower is now solar powered and is considered one of the premier examples of monolithic stone masonry in the United States. The conical tower stands 95 feet tall and is light-tan in color and trimmed in red.

Keepers tended the light at Spectacle Reef for 98 years until the light was automated in 1972. William Marshall served from 1881 to 1896, followed by Samuel F. Rogers until 1898 and Walter B. Marshall until 1902.

In 1995, the Spectacle Reef Lighthouse was featured by the U.S. Postal Service in a series of commemorative Great Lakes Lighthouse stamps.

Mackinaw Area Tourist Bureau: 800-666-0160
West Michigan Tourist Association: 800-442-2084
Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association: 313-436-9150