The Mendota Light, also known as the Bete Grise light, was built on the

Keweenaw Peninsula The Keweenaw Peninsula ( , sometimes locally ) is the northernmost part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States, leading to its moniker of "Copper Country." As o ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

to facilitate travel between

Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...

and Lac La Belle (an artificial canal having been made to connect the two).

History

The original plans were laid in 1867 and the

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

was constructed in 1869. Only one year later, the light was decommissioned as it was found by navigators to be of no assistance (nor was there any other commercial reason to make this trip). The tower was removed and taken to Marquette, but the keeper's house remained in place. In 1892, ships tried to use this bay for a safe harbor during a storm, and the seafarers, observing the house (at this point deserted), suggested that the harbor would be easier to find if there was a light present. By 1895, funds had been allocated to re-establish the light, but it was determined that the existing structure had deteriorated so much that it could not be used. A new structure was built using the original foundations. Lac La Belle Sign

In 1933 the light was automated and in 1956 it was decommissioned. It was a private residence until 1996. The lighthouse, only accessible by boat since no roads or private drives lead to it, was for sale in 1996. It was sold to a person willing to conserve the light. The original fourth order

Fresnel lens A Fresnel lens ( ; ; or ) is a type of composite compact lens developed by the French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel (1788–1827) for use in lighthouses. It has been called "the invention that saved a million ships." The design allows the c ...

was found, restored and in 1998 relit. It is still in place and in use. Efforts are being made to maintain the light for the "next 100 years". The light is now classified as an active private aid to navigation. To view the light, travel to the Keweenaw Peninsula of

Upper Michigan The Upper Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. – is the northern and more elevated of the Peninsulas of Michigan, two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from t ...

to the town of

Bete Grise Bete Grise (from the French ''Bête grise'', "Gray Beast") is a nature preserve on Keweenaw Peninsula, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, beach and bay on Lake Superior, where the sand is said to "sing" in situ. It is located in Grant Townshi ...

. The road ends at the Mendota Ship Canal. Take the short walk to the Ship Canal. You will see the station boathouse across the Canal, and the Mendota Light itself a little to the east. National Register Status: PART OF LISTING; Reference #80004840 Name of Listing: HISTORIC ENGINEERING & INDUSTRIAL SITES IN MICHIGAN TR.National Park Service, Inventory of Historic Lighthouses, Bete Grise Light.
/ref>

References

External links

Aerial photos, Mendota Light, marinas.com.
- A map to the Mendota Lighthouse.

Detroit News, Interactive map on Michigan lighthouses.

Lighthouse Central, Mendota (Bete Grise) light ''The Ultimate Guide to Upper Michigan Lighthouses'' by Jerry Roach. (Publisher: Bugs Publishing LLC - 2007)
.

Michigan organizations, Bete Grise Light.
*

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

br>Haritime Heritage, Inventory of Historic Lighthouses, Bete Grise Light.

* Bete Grise Light.

boatnerd.com. {{authority control Lighthouses completed in 1869 Houses completed in 1869 Lighthouses completed in 1895 Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Lighthouses in Keweenaw County, Michigan 1869 establishments in Michigan National Register of Historic Places in Keweenaw County, Michigan