30 Aug - Holland Harbor Lighthouse and Grand Haven Lighthouse

 

We had a nice drive down to Holland MI today to visit the Holland Lighthouse.  This lighthouse is located on private property and it is closed so our view of it was from across a channel, but we were pretty close.  We accessed it from Ottawa Beach where there is a boardwalk. 

The beach with the lighthouse in the background

The beach was busy for a Monday

This lighthouse is one of Michigan's most photographed lighthouses and is affectionately known as "Big Red" for obvious reasons.  The original structure was built in 1870.  The channel it protects had silted in and a group of Dutch settlers hand dug the channel so ships could pass.  In 1880 a new light was installed atop a metal pole.  By 1900, over 1000 ships used the port.  In 1907 the current structure was built.  The lighthouse was automated in 1932.  The Coast Guard recommended it be abandoned in 1970 and a group of citizens rallied to save it.

Located further out, at the inlet to the channel are a pair of marker lights.  

I mentioned this lighthouse is located on private property.  The residence there is quite magnificent!

There was no visitor center and the DNR officer we talked to was clueless as far as a lighthouse stamp, so that was a wrap.  

Grand Haven Lighthouses:

Finishing at Holland we headed back to Grand Haven.  There we found the south pier of the Grand River and the Grand Haven Lighthouse, actually both of them!  They were built in 1839 and both painted red.  The inner light is the typical lighthouse cylindrical shape. 

The foghouse outer light is shaped like a house on a big concrete block. 

The lighthouses are accessed by a long concrete pier and are connected by a catwalk which also extends to the shore. 

A small memorial to those who lost their lives on the pier over the years

Locked entrance to the catwalk visible in the background.

Across the channel is a marker light

Also on the other side of the channel is this awesome looking residence with a faux lighthouse atop, with a sign that says "Pier Pressure"!  I like the four boat garage!

We were able to get Doreen's Lighthouse Passport stamped at the Grand Haven Visitor Center downtown before heading back to the campground for the rest of the afternoon.  We took Liberty on a stroll along the river walk, and then pizza outside on the picnic table for dinner.  We are welcoming this cooler and less humid weather.  

Tomorrow is up in the air right now but we have a couple more days here and some more lighthouses to explore north of here.