Which state has the most lighthouses?
....Hint: it is a state with no oceanfront property.
When the Petite Pointe Au Sable Lighthouse was put into service in 1874 during the Ulysses S. Grant Administration, several additional outbuildings needed to be constructed. Lighthouses were not automated. They needed a keeper and assistant along with accommodations. When this lighthouse was initially under construction supplies needed to arrive by boat as there were no roads handy. The keeper's residence included chicken coops, a garage, an outhouse, storage sheds for oil and kerosene, and of course the 107-foot-tall lighthouse tower. At least three times per day the keeper or assistant would trudge up 139 steps to the top of the tower to polish the lamp and bring gallons of kerosene to power the bright light. Sadly, the outbuildings were demolished in 1954 once electricity arrived and the lighthouse was automated. However, the lighthouse has been preserved. It is part of Silver Lake State Park. During the summer you can climb all 139 steps to the top for breathtaking views of the coast.
Orlando Metcalfe Poe was an army officer and chief engineer in the American Civil War during William Tecumseh Sherman's bloody March to the Sea. After the war, he turned to a more benign occupation. He designed lighthouses, including several along the Great Lakes. The state of Michigan is a major producer of lumber and stone for construction. There was a huge demand for lumber and stone when Chicago rebuilt after the fire of 1871. That lumber and stone was carried by boat across Lake Michigan. With storms and winds creating waves 30-foot tall, Poe's many lighthouses kept shipping safer. Now, they provide beautiful landmarks for tourists. Yes, Michigan has the most lighthouses of any state.
Take a walk with Birkenstock.
