The Straits of Mackinac, located between the upper and lower peninsula of Michigan, is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the Great Lakes. Many islands, including Round Island, mark this important passageway, which connects two of the largest fresh water bodies in the world, Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Dangerous shoals are plentiful between these islands. Many times ships would go completely out of their way to avoid this channel.

A lighthouse was eventually established at Round Island in the late 19th Century. Although the exact date of completion is sometimes disputed, by 1895 the lighthouse was fully operational. For the next 30 years, a keeper and two assistants kept watch from the square two story wooden house and attached brick tower. A brick base provided a strong foundation for the unique structure and made it one of the most recognized lighthouses on the Great Lakes.

In 1924 the light was fully automated and the staff was reduced to just one keeper. By 1947 a channel light built closer to Mackinac Island made the Round Island station unnecessary. The Coast Guard decided to discontinue Round Island at that point. The lighthouse gradually fell into disrepair. In the early 1970’s swift flowing water washed away the breakwater at the base of the keeper’s dwelling and opened a hole in the structural foundation.

Private preservation groups worked side by side with Federal and State agencies, eventually restoring the lighthouse to its original state in 1978. Today it is one of the most striking and picturesque light stations on the Great Lakes. The wooden portion of the dwelling has been repainted bright white. A refurbished cement break wall still guards the front portion of the building from erosion. The lantern room is now empty, but a nearby steel tower houses a still active automated beacon.

Round Island, known for its beautiful “round” tree top skyline, is somewhat of a wilderness. That hasn’t changed the popularity of this famous lighthouse, which is probably the most viewed in the State of Michigan. A day trip on the local ferry just wouldn’t be the same without a glimpse of this remarkable sentinel.