St. Helena Island is an uninhabited island in the Lake Michigan approach to the Straits of Mackinac. The island is located offshore from

Gros Cap, Michigan Gros may refer to: People *Gros (surname) * Gross (surname), the German variant of Gros * Le Gros, the Norman variant of Gros Other uses * Gros (coinage), a type of 13th-century silver coinage of France * Gros (grape), another name for Elbling, ...

, west of Mackinac Island in

Mackinac County Mackinac County ( ) is a county in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 10,834. The county seat is St. Ignace. Formerly known as Michilimackinac County, in 1818 it was one of the first ...

in the U.S. state of

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

History and description

From the standpoint of the Great Lakes, the most important fact about St. Helena Island are the shoal waters that extend outward from the small island's southeasternmost point. A hazard to navigation, the shoal inspired the 1873 construction of a lighthouse and tower. The St. Helena Island Light not only warned boaters away from the shoal, but also guided eastbound vessels toward the narrow Straits of Mackinac. The light station, which now constitutes the island's only remaining constructed buildings, remains as an active aid to navigation as of 2022. By contrast, the island's north shore has a natural (albeit shallow) harbor on its north shore. Historically, this embayment provided shelter for both Native Americans and

voyageurs The voyageurs (; ) were 18th and 19th century French Canadians who engaged in the transporting of furs via canoe during the peak of the North American fur trade. The emblematic meaning of the term applies to places (New France, including th ...

, who sought shelter from fierce, foreseeable and notorious southwesterly storms, which would drive waves that gained strength running with the lake's length.

Fishing station

The cold but shallow waters around St. Helena Island create fertile grounds for schools of

lake trout The lake trout (''Salvelinus namaycush'') is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, namaycush, lake char (or charr), touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, it can also ...

and whitefish. During the 1800s, a fishing station operated adjacent to the island harbor. A fishing station, a self-contained community vernacular to the culture of the Upper

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lak ...

, was a logistical depot for professional fishermen during the century prior to the development of

motorboat A motorboat, speedboat or powerboat is a boat that is exclusively powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gea ...

s and

refrigeration The term refrigeration refers to the process of removing heat from an enclosed space or substance for the purpose of lowering the temperature.International Dictionary of Refrigeration, http://dictionary.iifiir.org/search.phpASHRAE Terminology, ht ...

. Freshly caught fish from the waters of northeastern Lake Michigan adjacent to St. Helena Island would be rushed by oar or sail back to the fishing station for preservation in salt. Salt fish could be stored and transported in barrels as an exportable commodity. Fisherfolk from St. Helena are identified as part of the mob that carried out an ethnic cleansing operation on nearby Beaver Island in 1856. The operation was part of a network of events intended to establish overall Mackinac Island control over the fishing grounds of northern Lake Michigan. Long successful, this control failed during the early decades of the 20th century. The invention of electrical refrigeration and powered fishing boats made widely distributed fishing stations unnecessary. Local fish could be carried to larger nearby port towns such as

Mackinaw City, Michigan Mackinaw City ( ) is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 846 at the 2010 census, the population increases during summertime, including an influx of tourists and seasonal workers who serve ...

St. Ignace, Michigan St. Ignace is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Mackinac County. The city had a population of 2,452 at the 2010 census. St. Ignace Township is located just to the north of the city, but the two are administered autono ...

. The St. Helena Island fishing station became a

ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * ''Ghost Town'' (1956 film), an American Western film by All ...

, and the former light station was extensively vandalized.

Current status

The Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association (GLLKA) is continuing its efforts to restore the light station, including the Island dock and light station outbuildings. The GLLKA raises funds for this purpose, including limited opportunities for individuals and groups to visit the Island and enjoy its history and natural identity. The Island currently serves as a refuge and breeding ground for fish-eating birds, such as the

osprey The osprey (''Pandion haliaetus''), , also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor reaching more than in length and across the wings. It is brown o ...

and great blue heron.

References

{{Authority control Islands of Lake Michigan in Michigan Islands of Mackinac County, Michigan Uninhabited islands of Michigan