A tall black-and-white tower among the trees seems an unlikely guide to open water. Yet Grand Island Harbor’s Rear Range Light was built for a precise maritime task: working with a lower shoreline beacon to give approaching vessels a line through the western channel toward Munising Harbor. Its woodland setting rewards a closer look at how range lights worked.
Quick Facts
| Location | Mainland near Christmas, west of Munising, Alger County, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Waterway | Lake Superior · western approach to Grand Island Harbor |
| Also known as | Bay Furnace Range Lights · Christmas Range Lights |
| Station first lit | 1868 |
| Present rear tower | 1914 |
| Rear tower height | Approximately 62–64 feet; published measurements vary |
| Construction | Riveted, tapering steel tower with lantern and gallery |
| Appearance | Black lower tower and lantern, with a white upper daymark facing the water |
| Status | Inactive historic range; rear light retired in 1969 |
| Ownership | U.S. Forest Service · Hiawatha National Forest |
| Visitor access | Grounds and exterior views; interior access only when an authorized tour is offered |
History & Description
The range began operating in 1868. Its first front light stood in a wooden structure near the water, while the rear light occupied a tower above a keeper’s dwelling. Rather than simply announcing the shore, the two signals supplied a direction: when seen in alignment from a vessel, they indicated the intended course through the channel.
By 1914, deteriorating wooden buildings had given way to metal structures. A tall, conical steel tower carried the rear light, and a shorter iron mast displayed the front signal. The original sixth-order Fresnel lenses were replaced with newer optics in 1939; the front structure was replaced again by a tubular tower in 1968. The rear light was retired the following year.
The surviving rear tower preserves the practical character of that modernization. Rows of rivets join its curved steel plates, a small door opens at the base, and a gallery circles the lantern. Its contrasting paint served as a daytime marker. Published accounts place its height at roughly sixty-two to sixty-four feet, making it a conspicuous signal above the low shoreline vegetation.
The Forest Service took responsibility for the rear light in 1977. Today the site belongs to the Hiawatha National Forest’s lighthouse heritage: a historic navigation structure encountered by a short walk from the highway. Todd’s photographs show the rear tower; the front light is a separate structure nearer the lakeshore.
Historical references: U.S. Coast Guard Historian’s Office · Superior Wildlands visitor newspaper, including Hiawatha National Forest information.
Visitor Information
- Find the rear tower
- View the rear light’s location → The tower stands on the mainland just off M-28 near Christmas, west of Munising.
- A short woodland walk
- The rear light is reached by a short path on the inland side of the highway. The front range structure is closer to the water, on the other side of M-28. Use designated parking and take care around highway traffic.
- Grounds and tours
- Exterior viewing is the dependable option. The Munising Visitors Bureau notes that the Forest Service may offer occasional free summer tours, depending on staffing, without a fixed annual timetable. Confirm availability with the Munising Ranger District at 906-387-2512; do not assume the tower is open for an unarranged climb.
- Mainland, not island
- No ferry is needed for this stop. Grand Island Harbor Range is distinct from the East Channel Lighthouse and the lighthouse at Grand Island’s northern end.
- Photography
- A vertical view emphasizes the height and taper of the rear tower. A wider composition shows the woodland approach and helps explain how easily this historic light can blend into its surroundings from the road.
Visitor information checked October 12, 2026. Current local visitor information →
Photo Gallery
Photographs by Todd. Select a photograph to view it larger.
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