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Saving The Waugoshance Light

Photo courtesy of the Waugoshance Lighthouse Preservation Society.
Photo courtesy of the Waugoshance Lighthouse Preservation Society.

http://ipraudio.interlochen.org/Waugoshance.mp3

The federal government is ready to give three more lighthouses to historical groups in Michigan. One is the Waugoshance Lighthouse in northern Lake Michigan. It's an offshore light about 25 miles west of Mackinac City. Chris West is the President of the Waugoshance Lighthouse Preservation Society. He says the light has been out of use for almost 100 years but is still well known to boaters.

Chris West says, "Freighter captains know this is where they need to make their turn to start getting into the Straits of Mackinac and so it's still used without a light or a fog signal as a piece of navigation."

The Waugoshance Lighthouse was built in 1851 to warn boats of a shoal in that area. The brick wall of the tower is 5 feet thick and has been used by the U.S. Navy for artillery practice.

Peter Payette is the Executive Director of Interlochen Public Radio.