Crisp Point Lighthouse

History of the Crisp Point Lighthouse

Dennis Kent sent in these pictures and a little writeup. See below.

This light is in Hemingway country. The Big Two Hearted River is nearby. Named after its first keeper it was built in 1903-1904. It was fitted with a 360 degree, red fixed 4th order light. It is 58 feet from the base to the ventilator ball. At one time there was a lifesaving station and quarters here, a two family home and basement for the light keepers, a fog signal building, an oilhouse, two barns, a boathouse, landing, tramway, the tower and a service room entrance. All that remains is the tower. In 1965 anything nature didn't take the Coast Guard destroyed. The Crisp Point Light Historical Society has a website at www.crisppointlight.org

Slowly this light is being reclaimed by Lake Superior. Land access is by a poorly marked dirt road that goes for miles through the pines and dunes. A friend prior to our visit had just come back and said the road was good for a change. Armed with several maps and a GPS we sought this light. The first time I glimpsed it from a distant cliff if still had an attached building. Only the tower remains and poorly funded efforts are trying to save it. I wanted to get a picture before it was lost.

Directions: Due to the involved level of detail the Crisp Point Lighthouse Society provides, I will leave the directions to this lighthouse up to them. Please see this page for driving directions: http://www.crisppointlighthouse.org/drive.html.

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