A Look Inside the Huron Island Lighthouse: Marquette County

Here's a Great Lakes lighthouse that is tough to get to, but if you can make it there, it's a cool place to visit.

It's the Huron Island lighthouse, sitting in Lake Superior in Marquette County.

The Huron Islands are believed to be the tops of a flooded mountain range which were hazards to many ships during the mid 1800s.

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When the S.S. Arctic smashed into the islands in 1860, that was the impetus needed to get a lighthouse erected. All humans and cattle were saved and dropped off on this island, which has now been given the nickname 'Cattle Island'.

The lighthouse was put up on the highest point on the furthest west island. It was finished in 1868 and included a dock, oil house, outhouse, and tramway, The first light shone on October 20.

First it ran on steam, then incandescent oil vapor in 1912, and electrified in 1910. It was automated in 1972 and then boarded up. Although there is no lighthouse keeper, it is still in use.

Huron Island is the only island in this chain that is open to the public. It isn't that simple to get to, as waves pound your craft and you could end up crashing on the reef. So if you attempt a visit, you are warned. Now take a look at the gallery below...