During my time as a volunteer lighthouse keeper earlier this summer, I was given a day off. So what did I do? I visited a lighthouse!
Of course I didn't visit
my lighthouse, but I visited one up in Ludington called
Big Sable Point Lighthouse. (It is one of the lighthouses that's operated by the volunteer organization I was a part of.)
I was particularly interested in visiting this light because it's quite remote- you can only access it by hiking 1.8 miles through the sand dunes.
It's a beautiful walk through the sand... and it feels pretty good to see that first glimpse of the lighthouse in the distance!
Of course it's even more spectacular when you're up close!
This lighthouse is special because the adjoining keeper's quarters are still intact: the volunteers live on the upper floors while a gift shop takes up the ground floor. But I didn't visit the lighthouse to shop- I visited to climb the tower!
When I started at the base of the tower, the brick walls were over 6 feet thick...
And by the time I reached the top the walls were under three feet thick- I think that's really cool!
And the view that met me when I exited the lantern room was unbelievable!
Check out that beautiful coastline!
But do you know what makes this view even more interesting? The state has decreed hundreds of acres of sand dunes as a state park, so the land surrounding the lighthouse is protected by law. Therefore nothing has been built within sight of the lighthouse- and now the view from the top of the tower is the same today as it was when the structure was built in 1867... and I think that's pretty special!
Also of note- this lighthouse was built using the same plans as the Little Sable Lighthouse (the one I shared with you yesterday). Technically the towers were constructed with the exact same proportions- and yet they look so different!
Mostly because this lighthouse was built with a different kind of brick! Unfortunately this particular white brick (manufactured in Wisconsin) was not able to withstand the harsh weather conditions in this part of the state- and the bricks started to deteriorate shortly after construction was completed. In order to save the lighthouse, it was cased in iron and painted black and white.
But enough about history- the tower has lots of other interesting features! For example, the railing around the top of the tower had different cities listed, along with the distance "as the crow flies".... I couldn't resist taking a shot of Lansing, my hometown!
After I'd spent a while at the top, I climbed back down the tower and explored the outer buildings, including this recently re-created fog horn building.
But mainly I went outside to take more pictures of the lighthouse...
I mean, how could I resist?
Thank you for visiting- I hope you have a great day!
