At the end of a long breakwater, this steel-and-concrete lighthouse marks the southern entrance to the Keweenaw Waterway. Its pale octagonal tower and red lantern roof stand against the blue water of Keweenaw Bay.
Quick Facts
| Location | Portage River mouth, near White City Park and Jacobsville, Houghton County, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Waterway | Lake Superior · Keweenaw Bay |
| Other names | Portage Entry Light · Portage Lake Lower Entry Light |
| Current lighthouse | Built 1919 · First lit 1920 |
| Earlier entrance lights | Range lights established in 1868 |
| Design | Octagonal steel tower above a concrete machinery room and pier |
| Light height above water | 68 feet · Focal height |
| Navigation role | Active aid to navigation |
| Viewing | Shore views and an approximately half-mile breakwater approach |
History & Description
The Keweenaw Waterway connects the peninsula’s interior waterways with Lake Superior. At its southern end, the Portage River opens into Keweenaw Bay. Entrance lights helped mariners identify this passage as the channel and harbor developed.
The Coast Guard records the earlier station’s establishment in 1868, when range lights marked the entrance. The present lighthouse was built in 1919 and first lit in 1920, part of an expanded system of navigational aids serving the improved waterway.
The lighthouse combines an octagonal steel tower with a square concrete machinery room and a substantial pier below. Todd’s photographs show the contrasting forms: a broad, dark base supporting the narrower white tower, topped by a circular lantern with a red roof. Its light stands 68 feet above the water, a measurement of the focal plane rather than the tower alone.
The structure remains an active navigation aid. The long breakwater gives it a distinctive setting, with a straight approach line leading the eye from shore toward the lighthouse and the open bay beyond.
Visitor Information
- Where to start
- White City Park, near Jacobsville, offers shoreline views of the lighthouse and the breakwater. The beach provides a wider perspective that includes the surrounding bay.
- Breakwater approach
- Visit Keweenaw describes an approximately half-mile walk along the breakwater for a closer exterior view. Check posted access notices before setting out, and stay ashore when waves wash over the surface or conditions are icy.
- Inside the lighthouse
- Plan your visit around exterior photography. Confirm any interior tours directly before traveling; do not assume the tower is open for a climb.
- Photography
- From shore, frame the lighthouse beyond the beach grasses. Along the breakwater, its long straight lines create a strong foreground. A close view brings out the tower’s metal panels, windows, and lantern roof.
Photo Gallery
From the beach to the breakwater’s end. Select a photograph to view it larger.
Explore the Keweenaw
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