Lighthouse in Michigan City Indiana

Michigan City Indiana has had three lighthouses over the years. The first was built in the 1830's and is no longer in existence. The lighthouse pictured here was built in 1858. It had one lighthouse keeper for 43 years from 1861 until 1904- Miss Harriet Colfax. This lighthouse now houses a museum on the lighthouses. The day we visited Michigan City the museum was closed so I had to be content with wandering around the perimeter of the house and taking photographs.

Not far from the old Michigan City lighthouse we found the east pierhead lighthouse. It can be accessed by walking down a 1500 foot elevated catwalk. The sun was beginning to set and I was able to shoot several different shots of the "East Pierhead Light".

Michigan City Indiana Lighthouse Refrigerator Magnet by lighthouseenthusiast
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Staying at a Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast

Lighthouses have always fascinated me and since my retirment 6 years ago, I have traveled to and photographed 60 lighthouses. The one thing I have always wanted to do is to stay all night in a lighthouse and this fall I got my chance. While looking for a place to stay for our Minnesota fall excursion, my husband found a lighthouse bed and breakfast that had an opening for one of the nights we would be in the area. We found Two Harbors lighthouse to be a delightful place to stay. It is a working lighthouse and has three guest bedrooms on the second floor.

We stayed in the Harbor room which had a window looking out on the harbor. When a large ship left the harbor just after midnight, I got out of bed and watched it from our window. What a great treat! Staying in the lighthouse enabled me to take photos at all times of day and night and I was really excited when I realized it was the full harvest moon while we were there and I was able to capture this photo of the lighthouse and the moon.

Then when the first rays of sunlight peaked over Lake Superior in the morning, I was again able to go outside and get some great shots.

If you would like to read more about my experience at Two Harbors please stop by my Squidoo page.Two Harbors Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast

Two Harbors Lighthouse.jpg Post Cards by lighthouseenthusiast

Split Rock Lighthouse in Minnesota

We took a fall trip to Minnesota to photograph the lighthouses and the fall foliage. I had heard that Split Rock on Lake Superior was a great lighthouse to photograph so I was really looking forward to seeing it. I got my first view when we stopped at a roadside viewing area about 1/2 mile from the lighthouse. I was amazed at the great view of the lighthouse from this distance. It was a cloudy day and the sky was grey but I was able to get this photo of the lighthouse with the pretty fall foliage in the foreground.

The next day was a brighter day so we headed out in the morning to the state park where the Split Rock Lighthouse is located. I wanted to get some more photos from the area near the shore and then I was planning on touring the lighthouse. I walked on several trails near the lighthouse looking for a perfect spot for a photo. I ended up taking over 100 shots, but I think the one below of the lighthouse framed in the fall leaves, is my favorite.

After finishing shooting from the shoreline, I took a tour of the lighthouse and lighthouse grounds. It is a fairly short lighthouse with only 32 steps to reach the top of the tower. The location high on the cliff is what gives the lighthouse a prominant position for warning ships from the coast. Here is my favorite photo taken up close to the lighthouse.

Minnesota Lighthouses Calendar by lighthouseenthusiast
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