National Register of Historic Places

Whitefish Point Lighthouse

Shelldrake, Chippewa County, Michigan
Listed
February 28, 1973
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73000947

About this property

The Whitefish Point Light is a lighthouse located in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located on the southeastern shores of Lake Superior, it sits at the edge of Whitefish Point leading to Whitefish Bay. Constructed in 1849 by congress, it is the oldest operating lighthouse in the Upper Peninsula. All vessels entering or exiting Lake Superior pass near Whitefish Point. The area is known as the "Graveyard of the Great Lakes" due to the high number of shipwrecks in the area, including the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. The lighthouse is part of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum complex, which contains numerous relics from shipwrecks of the Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve, including the bell of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. The lighthouse itself was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and again as a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974.

Location

Shelldrake, Chippewa County, Michigan
46.77111, -84.95446

Categories

TRANSPORTATION
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Whitefish Point Lighthouse

This page lists Whitefish Point Lighthouse. 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
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
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
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Whitefish Point Lighthouse report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Point Iroquois Light Station
Industrial
25 mi
M-28-Tahquamenon River Bridge
Industrial
29.4 mi
Wright-Brooks House
Industrial
34.4 mi
Kinross Township Hall and School
Industrial
40 mi

Questions about this property

When was Whitefish Point Lighthouse listed on the National Register?

Whitefish Point Lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 28, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Whitefish Point Lighthouse?

Whitefish Point Lighthouse is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Whitefish Point Lighthouse?

The period of significance for Whitefish Point Lighthouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Whitefish Point Lighthouse?

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 Whitefish Point Lighthouse will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Chippewa County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Chippewa County.

Explore ChippewaCounty ›

More historic places in Michigan

Browse all historic places in Michigan.

View Michiganhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Michigan history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Michiganhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Whitefish Point Lighthouse will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report