Crisp Point Lighthouse

Megan Noble

All that remains of the lighthouse complex here is a handsome, round brick tower, 58' high. The lighthouse, substantial brick keeper's double house, and foghorn building were erected on a remote stretch of Lake Superior, between Vermilion and Two Heart, now ghost towns. At this point on the Shipwreck Coast, "many vessels heading for Whitefish Point had deviated slightly from their course and were wrecked," wrote industrial and maritime historian Charles Hyde in The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes.

U.S.C.G.

The lighthouse in 1904.

Today Crisp Point is really not a point at all, just a slight bulge on a map, due to a natural process called "coastal straightening." Erosion by wind and water took their toll on the buildings, as did vandalism. In 1965 the Coast Guard demolished everything but the light tower and adjoining service building. In 1996 wind and waves claimed the service building.

The Crisp Point Light Historical Society, formed in 1991, had already begun to tackle the lighthouse's preservation problems on every level, starting with sandbags, and later limestone, to stabilize the shoreline at this exposed place. Stone reinforcements haven't necessarily been enough to protect the shoreline. Huge storms in fall of 2005 even moved some of the six- to ten-ton stone blocks. Visit the society's web site, crisppointlighthouse.org, for news about recent fundraising projects through grants and sales of Crisp Point lighthouse items. It shows historic photos of the original lighthouse complex and many ways people can help support the project, including letter-writing.
Luce County has improved the road to Crisp Point, so you no longer need a four-wheel drive to get there. Metal directional signs now mark the way. Volunteers have erected a reproduction entrance building to the tower.

Crisp Point used to be nearly deserted. Now there's nearly always someone at this beautiful location. It gets some 25,000 visitors a year. Rockhounds come to look for agates, an unpredictable activity. One day the beach will have lots of stones, the next it may be all sand.

Still, a trip to the lighthouse, beach, and beautiful natural area remains an end-of-the-road adventure. After all, it's 18 miles from a paved road and 23 miles from electrical service. The scene today isn't too different from that described by Laurie Penrose in A Traveler's Guide to 116 Michigan Lighthouses in 1992: "The sandy shoreline is unbroken—no houses, harbors or docks—in both directions as far as they eye can see. A dark line of forest follows the strip of sand; beach grasses and low bushes provide other greenery."

In 2009 a reproduction of the original foghorn building was opened as a visitor center with two restrooms, held open whenever volunteers ("keepers") permit. It displays photos of the lighthouse and many artifacts washed up on the beach. And it sells lighthouse-related merchandise to raise funds for further projects. To join the Crisp Point Historical Society or to become a one-day keeper, call (517) 230-6294 or e-mail cplhs@sbcglobal.net.

Crisp Point is about 8 miles northeast of Culhane Lake Campground and thus some 37 or 38 miles northeast of both Newberry and Paradise. Access roads are seasonal and open only from approximately mid May to mid October. Do not attempt to go here other times. You may get stuck and need a wrecker to get out. Good luck reaching one! If in doubt about road conditions, call Rainbow Lodge, (906) 658-3357.

Directions to Crisp Point from Tahquamenon Falls: from M-123 about 5 miles west of the Upper Falls, take County Road 500 north all the way to Little Lake Harbor. Take CR 412 right (east) in the direction of harbor signs, then pay close attention to CR 412 signs to stay on the correct road. In 4 1/2 miles, CR 412 turns north. After that, the last 2 1/2 miles have been widened and improved with gravel.
Directions from Deer Park, Newberry: see under Rainbow Lodge.

The light tower and visitor center are open when volunteers are available— especially likely on Saturday afternoons from mid-May through mid-Oct, weather depending, from noon to 5. Visit the on-line keepers' calendar to check keepers' schedule at: localendar.com/public/crisppointlighthouse or call (517) 546-5283 or (517) 230-6294 for more information. Gravel parking lot and boardwalk are now wheelchair-accessible.
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