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The Old Presque Isle Lighthouse
HISTORY OF THE On July 5, 1838, Congress appropriated $5,000.00 for the first Presque Isle Lighthouse, a year after Michigan gained statehood. On July 10, 1839, an advertisement for proposals to build a lighthouse at Presque Isle appeared in the Detroit papers. 1839 "Lighthouse Reservation" surveyed by A.E. Hathon during the 3rd quarter. Later surveys would show that the point opposite the lighthouse property was the center of activity on the harbor during this era. Only two roads in the area were indicated, both led to a wharf on the point, one from the south along the west shore of Lake Esau and the other from Grand Lake. On August 26, 1839, an agreement was signed between Abraham Wendell, U.S. Superintendent of Lighthouses for this district and Jeremiah Moors of Detroit, to "build and complete in all respects agreeable to the specifications contained in said advertisement for proposals for the sum of $5,000.00." On September 4, 1840, John Scott certified the lighthouse completed according to contract. On September 23, 1840, Henry Woolsey was appointed Keeper with an annual compensation of $350.00. In 1868, due to deteriorating conditions of the keeper's house, new plans were drawn to rebuild the house and attach it to the tower. However, the plans were never used. It was determined that the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse was not an adequate aid to navigation and in July, 1870, Congress appropriated $28,000.00 for a new lighthouse at the north end of the peninsula. The last keeper of the old lighthouse was Patrick Garraty Sr., he was appointed by Abraham Lincoln. In February, 1871, notice was given to mariners of the new lighthouse. Patrick Garraty Sr. moved from the old harbor lighthouse to the new lighthouse. In 1871, the old lighthouse was decommissioned and in 1897 it was sold to the highest bidder, E.O. Avery. After a few years he resold to General Duffield who owned it about a year until purchased by Bliss Stebbins. In 1930, Bliss Stebbins sold the property to Francis B. Stebbins. Due to deterioration of the dwelling it was demolished and rebuilt on the same foundation in the late 1930's. Francis died in 1969 and the property was willed to his son James Stebbins. In August, 1961, a surplus lens was purchased by Francis B. Stebbins. Fred May of Grand Lake constructed a lantern room which was hoisted into place atop the 1840 lighthouse. The revolving 4th order lens was most likely removed from South Fox Island in Lake Michigan. On June 19, 1965, a State Historical Marker for the 1840 Lighthouse was formally dedicated. In 1995, with the assistance of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and private donors, the property was transferred from the Stebbins family to the Presque Isle Township for a lighthouse museum and park. Prepared by: Judy Kimball - Historian and Jerry Cameron,
The New Presque Isle Lighthouse
Presque Isle State Harbor
Three trails can be hiked, ranging from 1.4 to 2.6 miles and covering
7.5 miles of Lake Huron Shoreline. Park at the trailhead off of U.S.
23, about 3 miles north of County Road 638.
Across the street from the North Bay Beach House, and adjacent from the state marina is the Presque Isle Harbor Beach. Often used for walking, you often can see hardy summer residents splashing and swimming there.
Beautiful Grand Lake
The Besser Natural Area is home to one of Michigan's last few stands of Virgin Pine. A one mile foot trail can be hiked in this area formerly inhabited by the people of the Village of Bell, and some remains of the original buildings can be found. This beautiful area also includes a lagoon and a beach on Lake Huron.
Presque Isle Harbor Wooden Boat Show
It is always held on the third Saturday in June.
The Emily Min Hunt Nature Preserve
The limestone sinkholes are unique natural wonders which occur in very few places in the world. There are approximately 200 sinkholes in Northeastern Michigan, and more can and do form all the time. The rare formations are of great interest to geologists and geographers, as well as to casual visitors. Botanists are intrigued by the unusual flora, especially the ferns and mosses that occur in the cool, dark climate of the sinks. It is possible in this karst topography that water flowing from the sinks may go directly into an underground river network connecting the sinks with each other and with Lake Huron.
Grand Lake Branch Library 8797 E Grand Lake Rd | PO Box 40 Presque Isle MI 49777
E. Grand Lake Road: Five historical sites line this scenic route with vistas of Lake
Huron and Grand Lake. This is great riding through rolling hills and
woods. The historical sites along E. Grand Lake Road include the Presque
Isle Lodge, Kauffman Homestead, Burnham’s Landing, the Old Presque
Isle Light, and the New Presque Isle Light. Huron Sunrise Trail: http://www.rogerscitychamber.com/huronsunrisetrail2.pdf A 25 minute drive north is Rogers City. The bike path begins in the
city. Travel on a paved surface north along Lake Huron through wooded
meadows over wooden bridges and water tributaries to Hoeft State Park
and along sandy beaches. http://www.alpenacounty.org/maps/Bi-Path%20Map.pdf Go south 18 minutes to the Wild Life Sanctuary located in Alpena.
Park and hike the mile trail of the Sanctuary Island for great bird
and wild life viewing before you begin your bike trip. Swans, ducks,
otters and turtles are frequent visitors. Choose from 3 – 5
– 12 – 20 miles of paved surface along the scenic Thunder
Bay River.
Lake Esau is known locally for its crystal clear water and beautifully forested shoreline. Located between Grand Lake and Lake Huron on Kauffman Blvd, it features a paved access to the DNR boat launch. Fishing is good summer and winter, with species such as perch, walleye and small-mouth bass waiting to be enticed! Swimming, boating, sailing or just hangin' out are popular summertime activities.
Presque Isle Harbor trail Presque Isle Township Park Thompson Harbor State Park
The Grand Lake area is located in close proximity to Lake Huron, which is home to a multitude of dive sites, both shoreline and off-shore shipwrecks. Several of the shipwrecks are quite shallow. For locations of various shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay area of Alpena County visit the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Museum. This museum is located approximately 20 miles south of the Presque Isle Lodge on 500 W. Fletcher Street in Alpena. The museum preserves a national treasure of nearly 200 historic shipwrecks in and around the bay. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.thunderbay.noaa.gov or call 989. 356.8805.
For diving in locations near Alpena County, contact one of the following:
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The
Old Presque Isle Lighthouse is located one mile from the 1870 Light
Keepers Station. The site is open for tours and tower climbing from
June through September.
This
lighthouse, built in 1870 by Orlando M. Poe, is one of three Great
Lakes towers built from the same plans. It replaced the smaller 1840
harbor light. The conical brick tower rises 113 feet from a limestone
foundation. The Third Order Fresnel lens was make by Henre LePaute
of Paris. Patrick Garrity, the keeper of the harbor light, lit the
lamp for the first time at the opening of the 1871 navigation season.
Garrity
served here until 1885 when he became keeper of the Harbor Range Lights.
His wife, Mary, sons Thomas, Patrick, and John, and daughter Anna
all served as light keepers in this area. In 1890 a steam operated
fog signal manufactured by Variety Iron Works of Cleveland, Ohio,
was installed. The light was automated in 1970 by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Thompson's
Harbor is a Michigan State Park that encompasses over 5000 acres of
undeveloped beach dunes, upland and marsh. It includes unique areas
of Lake Huron Sand Dunes and is home to the Dwarf Lake Iris, a rare
and endangered plant. 
John
C. Kauffman migrated to America from Tuttlingen, Germany in 1851.
Kauffman started as a lumberjack and built a house in 1862 in an area
he had cleared. Later that year he had to move his house because of
the drifting snow. Kauffman was the Township Supervisor and Postmaster
of Presque Isle until his death in 1913. Kauffman also served in the
Civil War. 
Frederick
Burnham settled in Michigan in the 1840's. Beginning in the 1850's,
the Burnhams acquired large tracts of Presque Isle County's rich timberlands.
Among their holdings was the land purchased in 1868 by the U.S. government,
where the Presque Isle Harbor Range Lights were constructed. In the
mid-to-late nineteenth century Burnham developed a prosperous mercantile
and lumber business here. He transported wood to the boat landing,
which stood near this site. The harbor, known as Burnham's Landing,
provided shelter to ships during foul weather. When Burnham died in
1880, Julia and their son Frederick II assumed management of the family's
business. The Burnham home, store and lumber camps were destroyed
by the 1908 Metz fire. 
The
Presque Isle Harbor Wooden Boat show’s mission statement is:
“To provide citizens of the area an opportunity to view and
appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship involved in the wooden boat
industry. To combine the pride of ownership on the part of the exhibitors,
with the dedication of the volunteer workers and the scenic beauty
of the functional Presque Isle Harbor. To generate support for the
local community entities and activities”. 
Adeline Sims is reputed to be the only female Mason in Ripley's Believe
it or Not. Her grave with a Masonic emblem is located at the Old Range
Light Park on Presque Isle Harbor. Adeline was the wife of Lighthouse
Keeper William Sims. 
The
Emily Min Hunt Nature Preserve is just 4 miles south of Grand Lake.
It is operated by the Thunder Bay Audubon Society. It is a 438 acre
mixed hardwood preserve which has, at its core, an abandoned apple
orchard with numerous bluebird houses. To get to the Preserve from
the south end of Grand Lake, take US-23 South to Shubert Hwy. Proceed
west (right) 1 3/4 miles to the entrance.
7 miles south of the Lodge are nineteen very large and geologically
interesting sink holes which are two to three hundred feet in diameter
and very deep and very interesting to explore.
Discover the area by bicycle. Some of the best biking in northeast
Michigan can be found along the shores of Grand Lake and Lake Huron
in Presque Isle and the Thunder Bay River near Alpena, Michigan.