fort gratiot lighthouse

The Fort Gratiot Lighthouse was built in 1829 on the Lake Huron beach immediately north of the mouth of the St. Clair River that divides the United States ~ Michigan & Ontario, Canada. Although Congress approved funds in 1823 and the first lighthouse in Michigan was built, it was poorly designed and subsequently destroyed in a storm in 1828. This lighthouse, standing at 82 feet high, visitors may climb up to the outside gallery and view the surrounding beach / Port Huron / Lake Huron area for a fee of $7. The Fort Gratiot Lighthouse is the second oldest lighthouse on the Great Lakes & the first in Michigan. The lighthouse grounds are easily accessible, parking is plentiful & it is a pleasant diversion for an afternoon visit the lighthouse & walk along the beach searching for stones after an easy climb to the top. Annual membership is available for $30. Responsibility for this second Lighthouse recently passed to non-profit status and much needed renovations have been undertaken.

Many times crossing the bridge from Canada to the US at Port Huron/Sarnia, we've seen the lighthouse and been curious about it. We decided on a quick detour to stop and take a look. It's a great little park with a wonderful lighthouse. Lots of literature on placards posted at the site to give you a bit of history. Nearby is the a sandy river shoreline, which must be nice for a stop and maybe a picnic in warmer weather. A great place for a quick stop if you want a break.

We enjoyed climbing the tower, touring the buildings, and learning about the history. The last time we were in town the light house was closed and in poor condition, so glad was open to tour!

Of course I think all lighthouses are awesome, we didnt get to tour, hoping that its not closed for the season, so we can go back before we leave. but even without the tour, seeing this beautiful lighthouse up close was great

My girlfriend and i went and seen thia beautiful lighthouse on our two year anniversary, and it was simply amazing and we adored it. Fort Gratiot lighthouse is a must see!!!!

This is really nice.A lot of people don't know about it.Great for school outings,private parties or Weddings.Hidden away in Port Huron,not far from the Doubletree Hotel.

Yesterday, my family and I went to Port Huron and stopped at the lighthouse and gift shop. The people were so friendly! The gift shop prices were reasonable and our tour guide was great. He presented the tour in a way that kept your attention. He even interacted with my 4 year old making him feel every bit as grown up as the rest of us on the tour. That was a plus! Very interesting tour with beautiful views from the top of the lighthouse. We wanted seafood and they even recommended a very nice place to eat - Thumbcoast Brewery. It isn't a restaurant that stands out so we might have missed it driving through the town. Very yummy fish and chips! Nice little day out. I highly recommend it!

Great place to visit, lot of extra anemities,special exhitbits. Access to the beach, very nice and clean beach.

Nice but not a lot to see.Just a lighthouse,Quaint location . See theBeach to the North !! Very Nice !

We like to find historically interesting things on our journeys. This was a good find. We were unable to tour the lighthouse due to time constraints but it would have been worth the trip. There is a tour to the top- remember to wear covered shoes...noflip-flops allowed! The location is easy to get to and affords beautiful views of Lake Huron and the Bridge crossing to Canada. The grounds are free and well maintained. Nice respite from the crowds waiting to cross the border. Many people out fishing along the shore while tank ships passed by. Lovely!

Needing to get across the bridge from Canada to the USA early to avoid the long queues before travelling to Detroit airport, we cast about for somewhere to visit across the border, not too far from our route. It didn't have to be a lengthy visit, but somewhere to occupy us for a couple of hours, tops. The US border guard who 'processed' us was more than a little surprised and sceptical when we told him Fort Gratiot was our initial destination: "what do you want to visit a lighthouse for?" Since we didn't much look like terrorists or drug smugglers (and we're eccentric Brits) he let us through...I'm sure many pass it by with never a thought and barely a second glance. The site isn't particularly 'stand out' (apart from the finger of the lighthouse, that is). It's not as if there is an actual fort to see! But to be fair to them, they are only in the relatively early stages of developing the site. However, the setting is admirable in that on a clear day you can see across the fast flowing water to the Canadian shore, watch the huge cargo ships or smaller pleasure craft ply the waters, and watch the queueing vehicles on the impressive Blue Water Bridge.For $7 each we enjoyed a detailed and interesting tour that concluded in the lighthouse from which the views are even better - worth the climb if you brave it. NB: visitors cannot go up the lighthouse if wearing open toed or high heeled footwear (sensible footwear would be trainers or similar). There's a surprising amount of history and information associated with the site and ways of presenting it are being improved annually.Worth maybe up to 2hrs of time if you like to read the information boards, browse the gift shop as well as listen to the guide, plus there is the nearby beach to enjoy (swimming not recommended).

We are from Canada and visit Port Huron often but for the first time, we made some stops to check out the town. The lighthouse was very cool and we were amazed by the view. Our tour guide was fantastic. My son was a little nervous doing the climb but survived it. It is definitely worth the visit.

We loved Fort Gratiot Lighthouse and grounds. The tour takes about an hour or an hour and a half, depending on who's giving the tour. Beautiful grounds and well restored lighthouse. Spectacular view of Lake St. Clair and Lake Huron. Not to be missed!!

We stopped overnight in Port Huron on the way to Maine. I am always drawn to lighthouses, so when we saw this one we definitely wanted to visit. We rolled up later in the afternoon on a Thursday and it was really quiet. Our personal and very knowledgeable docent took us through the tour and up the lighthouse. The stairs are very steep and or course tightly wound. On the way up, it is bad enough, but on the way down my wife was pretty scared. It is a beautiful building and well maintained, next to a great beach, though I think the water might be too deep for bathing right there, but I am not sure.

Wonderful tour of lighthouse living from the past. The climb up & down the lighthouse stairs quite narrow and wouldn't recommend it for those with knee, heart or breathing issues. Beautiful view from the platform at the top of the lighthouse!