National Register of Historic Places

St. Martin Island Light Station

Fairport, Delta County, Michigan
Listed
July 18, 1984
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
84001387

About this property

St. Martin Island Light is an exoskeleton lighthouse on St. Martin Island. It marks one of four passages between Lake Michigan and the bay of Green Bay. Constructed in 1905, this light tower is the only example in the US of a pure exoskeletal tower on the Great Lakes. Similar designs exist in Canada. Painted white, the hexagonal tower is made of iron plates which are supported by six exterior steel posts that have latticed buttresses. The cream city brick lightkeeper's house was modeled after that used for the Plum Island Range Lights. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 19, 1984, Reference #84001387 as St. Martin Light Station (U.S. Coast Guard/ Great Lakes TR). It is not on the state list/inventory. A steam fog signal was also installed. which was thereafter replaced by a diaphone. The lighthouse keeper's dwelling has been abandoned and "is in poor condition." The light station is closed to the public. It is managed by in partnership with the Little Traverse Bay Band of the Odawa Indian Nation.

Location

Fairport, Delta County, Michigan
45.50382, -86.75816

Categories

COMMERCEENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATION
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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Nearby Historic Sites

Poverty Island Light Station
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4.9 mi
Minneapolis Shoal Light Station
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11.8 mi
Peninsula Point Lighthouse
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15.2 mi
Fayette
Modern
15.3 mi
Fayette (Boundary Increase)
Listed
15.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was St. Martin Island Light Station listed on the National Register?

St. Martin Island Light Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 18, 1984.

What type of historic resource is St. Martin Island Light Station?

St. Martin Island Light Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for St. Martin Island Light Station?

The period of significance for St. Martin Island Light Station is recorded as the industrial era.

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