Munising Rear Range Light

Munising Rear Range Light
The light in 2004
LocationMunising, Michigan, United States
Coordinates46°24′45″N 86°39′50″W / 46.4125°N 86.664°W / 46.4125; -86.664
Tower
Constructed1908 
Constructionsteel 
Height33 ft (10 m) 
Shapeconical 
Markingswhite 
Light
First lit1908 
Focal height107 ft (33 m) 
CharacteristicF R 

The Munising Rear Range Light works with the Munising Front Range Light to project a line of light out into Lake Superior in order to guide boats from the open lake into the safe harbor at Munising, Michigan.[1] This harbor is a natural bay (thus providing protection from easterly or westerly storms) and sheltered on the north by Grand Island. Grand Island however provides a serious navigation hazard, and as boats navigate in the East Channel, there are several dangerous rock ledges that have the potential to sink a vessel. This pair of range lights replaced the ineffective Grand Island East Channel Light in 1905. The history of these lighthouses is documented by Terry Pepper[2] and is not reproduced here.

The light is located on the hill south of the village of Munising.[3] It is only a 33-foot (10 m) steel tower, but located up on the hill, it is 107 feet (33 m) above the lake level. It contains an incandescent electric light inside a red shield.

References

  1. ^ Light List, Volume VII, Great Lakes (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard. 2011. p. 137.
  2. ^ Terry Pepper, Seeing the light.
  3. ^ "The Eastern Lighthouses of Lake Superior", Lighthouses R us