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Filtering by Tag: old-mackinac-point-lighthouse

New book available on history of Mackinac Point Lighthouse

Andrew Norton

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse - A History & Pictorial Souvenir is produced by the Mackinac State Historic Parks and is available for $10.95. The book covers the lighthouse from its construction to its decommission in 1957 when it was made obsolete by the lights of the Mackinac Bridge. The lighthouse is currently undergoing a restoration to its 1910 appearance and tours are available. As part of the tour you can climb to the top of the tower and look out upon the Straits of Mackinac.

You can purchase the book at the lighthouse gift shop (in the old foghorn building) or by calling the Mackinac State Historic Parks at (231) 436-4100.

See Michigan.gov for more information.

categories Michigan History
tags historic Michigan lighthouses, michigan-gov, old-mackinac-point-lighthouse

Mackinac State Historic Park sites opening May 7

Andrew Norton

It must be getting close to summer because the Mackinac State Historic Parks are opening for the 2007 season on May 7. Various packages are available for visiting the four historic venues that make up the Mackinac State Historic Parks - Colonial Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, and Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island. The "Infinity Package" available through the MackinawCity.com website offers you -

  • 3 Day Pass with unlimited ferry service on pre-selected ferry line
  • 3 Day Unlimited Pass to Fort Mackinac, Mill Creek, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, and Colonial Michilimackinac
  • Thunder Falls Family Waterpark Admission 3 day Unlimited Pass

You will have 3 days to use the unlimited passes as you wish. Prices start at $54.95 for children (5-12) up to $79.95 for adults (age 18+). Ferry tickets alone (via the Arnold Line) will run you $21 each for adults (ages 13+) and $10.50 for kids (5-12) at their regular prices.

Here are the prices for tickets to the Historic State Parks without using the special "Infinity Package".

  • Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse Day Pass - $5.25 (adult), $3.25 (children 6-17)
  • Historic Mill Creek Day Pass - $7.25 (adult), $4.25 (children 6-17)
  • Fort Mackinac Day Pass - $9.50 (adult), $5.50 (children 6-17)
  • Colonial Michilimackinac Day Pass - $9.50 (adult), $5.50 (children 6-17)

Say you were a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids 17 and under) and wanted to visit all four of the Mackinac State Historic Park sites and Thunder Falls. Your cost would be as follows (if your kids are teenagers your ferry tickets will all be considered adult prices which greatly increases the cost) -

  • Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse - $17
  • Historic Mill Creek - $23
  • Fort Mackinac - $30
  • Colonial Michilimackinac - $30
  • Thunder Falls - $65.80 (assuming you are going after 6/15 and your kids are under 48" tall)
  • Ferry Tickets - $63
  • Grand Total - $228.80

Your cost with the "Infinity Package" would be $299.80 (2 adults at $79.95 and 2 kids 13-17 at $69.95). With this package you can go to any of the Historic State Parks and Thunder Falls while riding the ferry boats as many times as you wish over a 3-day period. Lodging is extra for both the "Infinity Package" scenario and the above price breakdown for purchasing tickets individually.

There is also a "Triple Choice" ticket available for the Mackinac State Historic Parks that gets you 3 tickets to venues of your choice. Adult tickets are $20 and youth (ages 6-17) are $12.50. The tickets are valid for 7 days from the time you pick them up. They are not unlimited passes - these are single use only.

categories Michigan History, Michigan Travel
tags Colonial-Michilimackinac, Fort-Mackinac, Historic-Mill-Creek, mackinac-state-historic-parks, old-mackinac-point-lighthouse, Thunder-Falls

Take a Tour of Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse

Andrew Norton

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse was built by German-born John Peter Schmitt and his crew in 1892. For a period of 66 years the faithful light and its keepers kept watch over the ships passing through the Straits of Mackinac. John Campbell was the last keeper when the lighthouse was closed in December 1957. The closing coincided with the completion and opening of the Mackinac Bridge in November of 1957.

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse

The highly illuminated bridge served as a navigation tool, which rendered the light obsolete. In 1960, the property was acquired by the Mackinac State Historic Parks and operated as a maritime museum from 1972 through 1988.

As lighthouses have garnered more attention in recent years, plans to restore this venerated old beauty have arisen. The Mackinac State Historical Parks is the driving force behind raising funds for the restoration. To help with the fundraising, the Fog Signal House at the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse has been opened as a Lighthouse Museum and Gift Shop.

Funds for restoration are also being raised through tours of the lighthouse. Tours begin May 15 and run through October 8, 2006. The lighthouse always opens at 9 a.m., but the closing times range from 4 to 5 p.m. throughout the season.

Adult admission is $6 and children (ages 6-17) are $3.50. If you are staying in the Mackinaw City area for a few days you could purchase Three 1-day passes to either Fort Mackinac, Colonial Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek, or Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse for $20 for adults and $12.50 for children (ages 6-17).

The Lighthouse Museum Store will also be open in 2006 from May 15 – October 8 from 9 a.m. to no later than 5:30 p.m.

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categories Michigan Travel, State of Michigan
tags Michigan Travel, michigan-lighthouses, old-mackinac-point-lighthouse