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Michigan Lights: St. Joseph North Pier Lighthouses
St. Joseph, Michigan is one of the beautiful small-town resort destinations located along the edge of Lake Michigan. Visitors and locals appreciate the eclectic shopping, dining, and water fun but they also embrace our area's history. When you tour Saint Joseph homes for sale save time in your schedule to explore the St. Joseph North Pier Lighthouses. They are a well-recognized part of Michigan's history.
Our real estate agents at Cressy & Everett Real Estate live and work in this beautiful resort community. We love St. Joseph and we're proud of our lighthouses and their place in local and maritime history. We're sure you'll enjoy them as well, so we want to provide some information to help you plan your visit.
St. Joseph North Pier Lighthouses Part of the Michigan Landscape
Since 1832, lighthouses and beacons have helped boats navigate their entry to the St. Joseph River. The original lighthouse was constructed on the shore in 1832. Since then, a changing configuration of north and south piers, beacon lights, and lighthouses has helped boats enter the river safely.
If you visit the North Pier today, you'll see a 35-foot tall, cast-iron, cylindrical lighthouse on the outer pier. The inner pier lighthouse is a 57-foot tall square steel building with an octagonal-shaped tower. The current outer lighthouse was first illuminated in 1906 and the inner was first illuminated in 1907. The lighthouses add old-world character and charm to this beautiful port town.
Historic Landmarks
On November 9, 2005, the St. Joseph Pier lights were added to the National Register of Historic Places. By 2008 the lighthouses and beacons were deemed "excess" and removed from service. In 2013, the US government transferred ownership to the city. The Lighthouse Forever Fund began raising money to restore them and completed a two-million dollar restoration project in 2016.
Lighthouse Tours
If you visit St. Joseph between Memorial Day and Labor Day, be sure to schedule a St. Joe Lighthouse - North Pier Walking Tour. The tours are presented by the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center. Tours begin at Tiscornia Park on Fridays and Saturdays at 10 am.
Admission: Adults, $10, Children, $5. Children must be 48 inches or taller to participate. Parking is extra.
Beautiful All Year Long
The tours are warm weather events, but the lighthouses are beautiful year round, especially during winter. If you'd prefer not to slip and slide along the North Pier during icy weather, you can still get a glimpse of what happens when water, wind, and icy temperatures come together. Check out Tom Gill's St. Joseph Lighthouse photography. He's captured many magical stills of the piers and lighthouses adorned with dramatic wisps of ice and snow.
Your Real Estate Professional in St. Joseph
If you're considering a move to Michigan, let us show you what it's like to live in a great small town like St. Joseph. Contact Cressy & Everett Real Estate when you're ready to buy or sell your home in Berrien County's Saint Joseph, Michigan.
Note: a subscription to the Do Not Call list does not apply when requesting information from our company.
