Michigan wllz

By Lori Payne
Correspondent

ALPENA — People who enjoy romance, history, ghost stories and shipwrecks are drawn to lighthouses. Why? Because lighthouses can give you all that and more.

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival in Alpena is the place for those who love the sentinels of the lake.

The Middle Island foghorn building has been converted into a rental cabin.

While I go to the festival every year, this time I decided to visit Middle Island Lighthouse.

It was a beautiful sunny day with the temperature around 54 degrees. The trip began with Capt. Mike Theut giving us basic background info on Middle Island and the area where we were docked. Construction of the lighthouse began in 1904. In June 1905, it officially began service. In 1939, The Coast Guard took control and painted the middle section of the lighthouse black. After 1958 the black section was painted red.

Upon arrival to the island we had a walk of two-thirds of a mile to the lighthouse. The keepers quarters is a large two-store house. This is the largest keepers quarters I’ve ever seen. At the present time it’s a work in progress. Upon completion, the keepers quarters will be amazing.

The fog horn building has been converted for overnight stays. It’s available for rent for a night or more. If you go, you will have the whole island to yourself. To me that would be heaven. The lighthouse itself is in need of repair so we were unable to go inside. For more info go to www.middleislandkeeperslodge.com For a trip to see the lighthouse contact Captain Mike at captmike@core.com or (989) 884-2722.

Theut gives tours every Saturday between May and September. Tours leave at 10 a.m. from Alpena. The 2 1/2-mile trip to the island takes about 30 minutes. The whole trip takes about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Cost is $35 for adults and $25 for children under 12. Reservations are recommended.

Every year, I learn new information about the lighthouses. People from all over gather to see the lighthouses and talk about their adventures. It’s fun talking to other lighthouse fanatics about the lights.

The Portsmouth was a steamer that ran aground on Middle Island's Northwest shore in 1867. It burned to the waterline. The wreck can be seen by just walking along the shore. Soon after, in 1881, the federal government built a life saving station at this location.