National Register of Historic Places

Detroit River Light Station

Rockwood, Monroe County, Michigan
Listed
August 3, 1983
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83000886

About this property

The Detroit River Light, also known as Bar Point Shoal Light, was first established as a lightship in 1875. The current sparkplug lighthouse was built in 1885. It sits in Lake Erie, south of the mouth of the Detroit River, 1.75 nautical miles (3.24 km; 2.01 mi) from land and about 20 nautical miles (23 mi; 37 km) from the Ambassador Bridge in the Detroit River. It is about 0.4 nautical miles (0.74 km; 0.46 mi) from the border with Canada, and just under 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) from Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Its original 4th order Fresnel lens is on loan to the Michigan Maritime Museum.

Location

Rockwood, Monroe County, Michigan
42.00083, -83.14109

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTUREMARITIME HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Detroit River Light Station

This page lists Detroit River Light Station. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Jefferson Avenue-Huron River and Harbin Drive-Silver Creek Canal Bridges
Industrial
4.8 mi
Hull's Trace North Huron River Corduroy Segment
Early Republic
4.9 mi
East River Road-North Hickory Canal Bridge
Industrial
6.6 mi
Gibraltar Road-Waterway Canal Bridge
Industrial
7 mi
South Pointe Drive-Frenchman's Creek Bridge
Industrial
7.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Maguaga (August 9, 1812)
1812Early Republic
5.6 mi
Battle of Brownstown (Aug 5 1812)
1812Early Republic
6.7 mi
Battle of Brownstown (War of 1812)
1812Early Republic
8.2 mi
Battle of Monguagon / Maguaga (Aug 9 1812)
1812Early Republic
8.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Detroit River Light Station listed on the National Register?

Detroit River Light Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 3, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Detroit River Light Station?

Detroit River Light Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Detroit River Light Station?

The period of significance for Detroit River Light Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Detroit River Light Station?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Detroit River Light Station will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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