Grand Haven Lighthouse Opens After 150+ Years Closed

When you think of "Pure Michigan", there are two specific images that come to mind: the fall leaves over an expansive UP wilderness and the pier at Grand Haven with its signature red lighthouses overlooking Lake Michigan. I have been visiting the pier my whole life, and plenty of people have walked past these lighthouses for years.

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However, unless you were a lighthouse keeper back in the day or one of the lucky few, hardly anyone has been inside the lighthouses. These pillars of shoreline safety have been closed to the public for years...until now.

Photo of the Grand Haven Lighthouse — Photo by Ian Hutchinson on Unsplash

For the first time in over 150 years, the foghorn house at the end will be opened to the public, allowing anyone to see what life was like for the lighthouse keepers who guided vessels along the shoreline for hundreds of years.

Grand Haven Lighthouse Opens to the Public

It's been a long time coming. This lighthouse and the "foghouse" have been silent guardians of the lakeshore since the late 1800s, and its foghorn still functions today. Since the City of Grand Haven gained ownership of the lighthouse in 2009 and formed the Grand Haven Lighthouse Conservancy (GHLC), they have been actively working to overhaul

When To Visit And How To Volunteer

Starting today, June 23rd, the foghouse at the end of the pier will be open for tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all summer on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Labor Day. Guests will be able to see the main floor, read displays about the lighthouse's history and its 13 keepers, and, for a small fee, climb the stairs to view the lighthouse lens.

Also, the GHLC is looking for volunteers if you're interested in assisting at the lighthouse. Overall, this day has been in the works for over 17 years, and I can't wait to take a step inside.

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Gallery Credit: Lisha B