Light House

litechannelCharlevoix's South Pier Lighthouse has long been a treasured landmark to boaters seeking safe passage between Lake Michigan, the Pine River Channel, Round Lake and Lake Charlevoix. It is also a premier location to watch the spectacular sunsets over Lake Michigan. The first lighthouse to be built at the entrance to the Pine River was actually located at the end of the north pier. This pyramidal wooden tower served from 1885 to 1914, when it was transferred to the end of the south pier and replaced with the current steel tower in 1948. In 2005, the lighthouse, deemed excess by the Coast Guard, was offered at no cost to eligible entities. After the review process, the National Park Service awarded the lighthouse to the City of Charlevoix in 2008. In August of 2009, the light, which had been painted white in recent decades, was returned to its original bright red coloring.