October storm nearly caused shipwreck, delaying construction of this Lake Huron lighthouse - mlive.com

Built in 1840, the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse is one of the oldest surviving lighthouses on the Great Lakes. It operated until 1871 when the keeper was transferred to the new, much taller light. It's open for tower climbs throughout the summer.Visit Alpena

PRESQUE ISLE, MI – An almost shipwreck resulted in the delayed construction of this Lake Huron lighthouse.

The Old Presque Isle Lighthouse served mariners for 31 years. It could have been a little longer.

Construction of the light was planned to begin during October 1839 but that didn’t happen because the building materials were thrown into the lake during a storm.

“A nasty storm greeted the boat carrying the crew and supplies as they were approaching Presque Isle,” according to records kept by the NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. “The storm was so bad that the crew tossed all of the materials overboard as a last resort to save the ship.”

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The desperate move paid off, records say. The ship and crew all survived.

Construction of the lighthouse was delayed until 1840, records say. That fall, it became the 11th light on Lake Huron. Today, the coastline is dotted with sentinels; there are eight in the marine sanctuary alone.

Old Presque Isle Lighthouse operated until 1871 when services were moved to a new, much taller lighthouse nearby: the New Presque Isle Light Station. At more than 150 years old, Old Presque Isle Lighthouse is one of the oldest surviving lights on the Great Lakes.

Visitors can climb the hand-hewn stone steps of the 30-foot-tall tower for a panoramic view of the Lake Huron shoreline and Presque Isle Harbor. The fee is $5 for adults and $3 for children.

The keeper’s dwelling serves as a museum where you can blow foghorns, ring the clock tower bell, pose in for a photo in old stocks, and examine artifacts.

Visitors can tour the museum and climb the tower during the summer months. The buildings close in mid-October while the surrounding park is open year-round. Find it at 5295 E. Grand Lake Road in Presque Isle.

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