Year first lit 1870 Tower shape Cylindrical Area 26 ha Range 18,520 m Added to NRHP 29 December 1978 | Automated 1927 Height 12 m Opened 1870 Focal height 12 m | |
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Location Beaver IslandSt. James, MichiganUnited States Year first constructed 1856 (original tower)1870 (current tower) Markings / pattern White (Originally yellow) w/ black lantern Similar Grand Island Harbor R, Grand Marais Harbor of, St Martin Island Light, Beaver Island Head Light, Munising Rear Range Li | ||
Beaver Island Harbor Light (or St. James Light) is a lighthouse located in St. James, Michigan, on the northern end of Beaver Island on Lake Michigan. It has also been called "St. James Harbor Light" and "Whiskey Point Light". It is associated with a U.S. Coast Guard station, which was formerly a lifesaving station. The tower is constructed of Cream City Brick.
Whiskey Point was originally named for the 1838 fur trading post that operated on the point, and for the commodity that was the post's chief item of sale. Soon afterward in the 1850s, St. James's Harbor on Beaver Island became established as a safe haven in a storm (an event quite common on Lake Michigan). The light was thus a natural extension of the emergency usage. The original light was constructed in 1856, and the light currently in use was constructed in 1870.
At this time, the harbor is used by the Beaver Island ferry, so the light is still an active aid to navigation.