Spectacle Reef Light
The light was built in northern Lake Huron about 11 miles east of the Straits of Mackinac to warn of a pair of reefs that are only 7-11 feet below the water’s surface. On navigation charts, the reefs appear similar to a pair of spectacles, hence the name.
Completed in 1874, after four years of work and at a cost of $406,000 the light was the most expensive ever built on the Great Lakes at the time.
A 95-foot conical limestone tower atop a concrete crib with 20′ thick walls to protect the structure from ice. The tower built of limestone quarried in Marblehead, Ohio and brought to the site. A small white building is attached to the base of the tower.
For more information on lighthouses in Michigan, please visit the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keeper’s Association website
Highlights
Location: Cheboygan, Michigan
Date Built: 1874
Active: Yes
Open To Public: No
Viewing: Private Boat
Website
http://lighthouse.boatnerd.com/gallery/Huron/poereef.htm