Two warm yellow-brick towers punctuate the wide blue horizon where the St. Clair River delta meets Lake St. Clair. Known as the Old South Channel range lights, this pair once helped mariners find their course through the shallow flats. The low front tower and taller rear tower remain a distinctive part of the waterway’s maritime landscape.
Quick Facts
| Location | Off the southern end of Harsens Island · Lake St. Clair, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Old South Channel Range Lights |
| Completed | 1859 |
| Construction | Yellow-brick towers on separate crib foundations |
| Historic purpose | Paired lights marking the South Channel approach |
| Preservation | Save Our South Channel Lights |
| Public access | Viewed from the water; towers are not open to the public |
History & Description
Construction began in 1855 and finished in 1859. The two lights guided vessels into the delta at a time when its shallow water made navigation challenging. From the intended approach, aligning the lower front light beneath the higher rear light gave mariners a visual course to follow.
Both towers stand on individual foundations surrounded by water. In Todd’s photograph, the shorter front light appears on the left and the taller rear tower on the right. Their weathered brickwork, dark lanterns, and low platforms contrast with the broad sky and open lake.
The front tower began leaning in 1875 and was dismantled and rebuilt. Winter ice and erosion have continued to threaten the foundations. A steel support cell was installed in 1990, followed by a permanent seawall around the front light in 1996. The rear light once shared its platform with a keeper’s house, which was removed in the early 1930s.
Save Our South Channel Lights works to preserve the surviving structures. They should not be confused with the separate St. Clair Flats Canal range lights associated with the newer shipping channel.
Visitor Information
- Viewing the lights
- The towers are offshore near the southern end of Harsens Island. A boat offers the closest exterior views; this is not a walk-up lighthouse stop.
- Access
- The towers are not open to the public. Do not assume that the small platforms provide visitor docking or landing access. Check with Save Our South Channel Lights for preservation news and any organized viewing opportunities.
- Photography
- A longer lens helps bring the pair together from a distance. Leave room around both foundations to show their separation, and watch the horizon when photographing from a moving boat.
History and access information: Save Our South Channel Lights and Pure Michigan.
Photo Gallery
Select the photograph to view it larger.