Little Traverse Light
The Little Traverse Light is located in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan on the north side of the Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan on Harbor Point in West Traverse Township near Harbor Springs, Michigan. It marks the entrance to the harbor at Harbor Springs.
The site was purchased in 1883, and the United States Lighthouse Service built the light in 1884.
The decagonal lantern room is painted white and has a red roof. The fourth order Fresnel lens was manufactured in Paris by L. Sautter, Lemonnie & Co. in 1881.
A "very rare" fog bell square pyramidal tower was built in 1896 in front of the tower. The structure and the striking mechanism are still in place. Other structures included a brick paint locker, summer kitchen, wooden boat storage shed, and auto garage.
The lighthouse was manned by personnel until 1963 when a modern replacement light and tower was constructed, consisting of a white steel skeleton on a foundation of concrete. It is 62 feet (19 m) tall, with a focal plane of 72 feet (22 m). It emits a green flash every six seconds. It is located on the point east of the lighthouse.
It is very difficult to visit the lighthouse as it is located on private property, unless you own a house in the gated community or are a guest. The lighthouse is not available to the public and people are not allowed inside. There is checkpoint that is manned 24 hours a day at the entrance.
This unique lighthouse has been the subject of paintings.
Elizabeth Whitney Williams was one of the first female lighthouse keepers to serve on the Great Lakes, and wrote a memoir that included her experiences at this light.
This cache is located just off one of the many trails located in Sleepy Hollow State Park and was placed for the 5th Annual Camp MiGO event. Most of the trails are well groomed and hard packed making a bike a great way to get to the caches in the area. Keep in mind during hunting season to be aware of hunters in the area. Hunting is allowed from September 15 until April 1st each year, so please be careful and dress appropriately when hunting is allowed.
A Recreation Passport is required for all vehicles entering Sleepy Hollow State Park. They are available for $19.00 at the park. Camping is available for the event at: www.midnrreservations.com. The park closes to visitors at 10PM.
This Geocache placed by a proud MiGO Lake Superior Member.