Wayfarrow

Beaver Island Head Light

Lighthouse · Charlevoix County, Michigan

This lighthouse/light station is located on the southern end of Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan. The tower, shown here, has a steep and narrow stair cli
This lighthouse/light station is located on the southern end of Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan. The tower, shown here, has a steep and narrow stair cli · Ruthgullekson / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Beaver Island Head Light is a lighthouse in Charlevoix County, Michigan. Michigan has 124 lighthouses on record at Wayfarrow, 4 of them in Charlevoix County.

It was built in 1858, in the Civil War era, making it the 7th oldest of the 89 in Michigan with a recorded construction date; the tower stands about 46 feet tall (37th tallest of 63 measured in Michigan); it guards Lake Michigan; it was deactivated in 1962.

Status check, 2026-11: The current brick tower was built in 1858 after the original 1851-52 tower reportedly toppled in 1857; it was deactivated in 1962. Beaver Island Head Light is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It stands at 45.5764° N, 85.5725° W.

Key facts

Current structure built1858
Tower height46 ft
Deactivated1962
Body of waterLake Michigan
Heritage designationNational Register of Historic Places listed place
National RegisterListed
Coordinates45.57639, -85.57250

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Nearby places

Questions

Where is Beaver Island Head Light?

Beaver Island Head Light is in Charlevoix County, Michigan, at 45.5764, -85.5725.

How many lighthouses are in Charlevoix County?

Charlevoix County, Michigan has 4 lighthouses on record at Wayfarrow.

Sources and licences

Facts marked "approximately" carry an uncertain date in the source. Text on this page is generated from the sources above; no encyclopedia prose is copied. Last updated 2026-11-05.