New Presque Isle lighthouse

It's big. It's beautiful and it is tallest one open to the public! The new Presque Isle lighthouse is a long climb to the top (113 feet), but the view is worth it. It was built in 1870 to replace the smaller one built earlier, hence the name new even though it is 141 years old ;}  The third order fresnel lense dates from 1870, too. Pretty amazing.  It is surrounded by a 99 acre park and two beautifully restored keeper's buildings. We dropped some coins in their lovely gift shop. It is open from 9am-6pm daily through mid October.

Haunted lighthouse in Presque Isle

First of all, to set the record straight, it is pronounced presk EEL--not like Belle Isle.  It is that omnipresent French influence in our state. Secondly, we had heard rumors that the old Presque Isle lighthouse was haunted and the lady in the gift shop gave us the whole scoop. It is pretty fascinating. This squat little tower was built in 1840, making it 171 awesome years old. It is no longer in use, however, George Parris, the former caretaker in the 1800's, returns habitually in ghost form to relight it!  Today it is a fine museum and we highly recommend it, being open until 7pm in the evening.  Can you believe it?  Climb away and get a gorgeous view--if you dare.

The Beck Funeral Home Hearse in Rogers City

OMG was all we could say when we drove by this in Rogers City.  Never having seen one before, we had to stop and take a photo.  It appears as if this hearse on display in front of the Beck Funeral home dates back to the 1800's.  It is so gorgeous and similar to the one that carried Abraham Lincoln in his funeral procession. This is the only time we have put a funeral home on our blog in two years. The undertaker, Ted Beck, has worked in the funeral business all his life. He told us the hearse was formerly used on Mackinac Island.

Shipwreck Fay in Rogers City

The amount of shipwrecks on the Great Lakes have been staggering. Seven miles north of Rogers City on Lake Huron you can see the remains of the steamer, Joseph S Fay, that went down in October of 1905. 150 feet of her side have been embedded in the sand for over a hundred years. Walking around the spikes still sticking up, you can get lost in thought about what a terrible night that must have been.

Fresnel Lens in Rogers City at 40 Mile Point

Augustin-Jean Fresnel was the inventor of the most commonly used beacon in lighthouses. So we offer this 4th order Fresnel lens which is used in the 40 Mile Point Light a few miles north of Rogers City as a way of saying Happy Bastille Day!  Fresnel was born in 1788 in France. Unable to speak until he was 8 years old, he was really a mathematical and scientific genius who died when he was just 39 years old. His blending of lenses and prisms made him the father of modern lighthouses. The 40 Mile Point Light was constructed in 1897 and is still in use today. You can climb it all the way to the top.