In 1850, Congress appropriated $4,000 for a lighthouse on the northern tip of Leelanau Peninsula in Michigan. The president signed an executive order reserving some 60 acres of public land for Grand Traverse Lighthouse, known early on as Cat Head Lighthouse due to its proximity to Cat Head Point.

During Philo Beers four years as keeper of the lighthouse, it was visited by pirates from nearby Beaver Island. James Strang had established himself as king of a Mormon splinter group on the island, and his followers were accused of night-time raids on the Michigan mainland. The pirates made off with all of keeper Beers’ fishing nets and their contents on one occasion and valuable lighthouse supplies on another.

Shortly after being placed in service, Grand Traverse Lighthouse was found to be poorly built and situated. Located near the eastern side of the tip of the peninsula, the lighthouse was useful for vessels entering and leaving Grand Traverse Bay but was of little use to vessels on Lake Michigan. The original lighthouse was torn down and replaced in 1858.

Philo Beers was no longer serving as keeper when the new lighthouse was built, but he and his son Henry, who would serve as keeper of the lighthouse from 1859 to 1861, used some of the material from the original keeper’s dwelling to build a house in the nearby town of Northport.

After various modifications through the decades as technology developed, the lighthouse was closed in 1972 and an automatic light tower erected.

Grand Traverse Bay Lighthouse.

Picturesque gardens in front of the lighthouse overlooking Lake Michigan.