Michigan City East Pierhead Light
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Michigan City East Pierhead Light is a lighthouse in Indiana, at a modelled elevation of 175 m. Carlisle Hill stands 280 m to the east, 22 miles off. The nearest named place is Breakwater Light, a lighthouse 0.1 miles away. The Indiana Lincoln Highway Byway passes 11 miles off. 47 named summits stand within 25 miles.
The story
The Michigan City Breakwater lighthouse is located in the harbor of Michigan City, Indiana. This is the successor to the Old Michigan City Light, when the lantern, lens and light was moved to the new light at the end of the newly extended pier.
This is one of very few lights on the Great Lakes which still has the iron walkway atop the pier (see Manistee Pierhead lights and Grand Haven South Pierhead Inner Light). There has been a lighthouse in Michigan City for 170 years. However, "most people in Indiana don't realize there is a lighthouse in the state." Mayor Oberlie passes out lapel pins to illustrate its importance and scope. He calls Lake Michigan "the city's crown jewel," which became prominent when he was city planner in the 1970s. In May 2007, this aid to navigation was deemed excess by the Coast Guard. It was offered at no cost to eligible entities, including federal, state and local agencies, non-profit corporations, educational agencies, or community development organizations under the terms of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. "According to Mayor Chuck Oberlie, Michigan City filed a letter of interest for the lighthouse and will seek ownership." It is one of a dozen past or present lighthouses in Indiana. The old 1858 lighthouse, near the entrance to the park, is open as a museum every day except Mondays from 1 to 4 p.m.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Dates from 1904.
Wikidata Q6837487, joined on its National Register reference.
What the record says
- Built
- 1904
What to expect
- Operated by
- U.S. Coast Guard
How to reach it
- 10.8 mi off the The Indiana Lincoln Highway Byway
Named places within 25 miles
- Millennium Plaza: 0.5 mi
- Washington Park: 0.6 mi
- Canada Park: 0.9 mi
- Charles R. Westcott Park: 0.9 mi
- Putting Green Park: 1.4 mi
- Barker Woods Nature Preserve: 3.1 mi
- NIPSCO and Shirley Heinze Land Trust: 4.2 mi
- Father Basil Moreau Nature Preserve: 4.2 mi
- Shirley Heinze Land Trust: 4.2 mi
- Trail Creek Fen Nature Preserve: 4.7 mi
- Bismarck Hill: 0.9 mi
- Crescent Dune: 1.1 mi
- Mount Baldy: 1.6 mi
- Mount McCray: 2.1 mi
- Mount Jensen: 2.4 mi
- Australian Aviary: 0.6 mi
- Alligators: 0.6 mi
- Petting Yard: 0.6 mi
- Bengal tiger: 0.6 mi
- Otters: 0.6 mi
- Air Force Veterans Memorial: 0.4 mi
- Army Veterans Memorial: 0.4 mi
- POW-MIA Veterans Memorial: 0.4 mi
- Marine Corps Veterans Memorial: 0.4 mi
- PFC Daniel D. Bruce: 0.4 mi
- Washington Park Beach: 0.5 mi
- Stop 2 Beach: 1.0 mi
- Crescent Dune Beach: 1.2 mi
- Stop 7 Beach: 1.5 mi
- Mount Baldy Beach: 2.0 mi
- Barker Mansion: 1.1 mi
- Beverly Shores Depot Museum and Art Gallery: 5.4 mi
- New Buffalo Railroad Museum: 9.7 mi
- New Buffalo Pere Marquette Depot: 9.7 mi
- Hesston Steam Museum: 12.0 mi
- Veterans Memorial Plaza: 0.4 mi
- Rock Garden: 0.5 mi
- Dickinson Memorial Flower Garden: 0.7 mi
- Daylily Garden: 6.1 mi
- Hosta Garden: 6.1 mi
- Duet: 0.7 mi
- Potawatomi Warrior: 12.7 mi
- La Porte History Mural: 12.8 mi
- Tuskegee Airmen: 19.4 mi
- Octave Chanute: 19.4 mi
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Lake View: 5.3 mi
- Indiana Dunes National Park Tremont Picnic Area: 9.0 mi
- Picnic Area: 16.4 mi
- West Beach Picnic Area: 17.2 mi
- Hardwoods: 21.6 mi
- Breakwater Light: 0.1 mi
- Old Lighthouse Museum: 0.5 mi
- Tool Shed: 0.5 mi
- Oil Shed: 0.5 mi
- Indiana Welcome Center: 6.2 mi
- Michigan Welcome Center 707: 9.1 mi
- Rest Area Trucks Only: 9.9 mi
- 1 Foot Falls: 7.5 mi
- Tremont: 8.8 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 25 miles of Michigan City East Pierhead Light. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlisle Hill | E 101° | 280.4 m | 22.0 mi |
| Mount Edward | NE 50° | 242 m | 22.1 mi |
| Mount Randall | NE 53° | 235 m | 20.6 mi |
| Tower Hill | NE 53° | 233 m | 20.2 mi |
| Pikes Peak | NE 52° | 229 m | 20.0 mi |
| Mount Fuller | NE 52° | 227 m | 19.8 mi |
| Great Warren Dune | NE 51° | 225 m | 21.5 mi |
| Mount Lieber | WSW 245° | 214 m | 18.6 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 06:52 | 18:23 | 19:00 |
| June solstice | 05:14 | 19:44 | 20:26 |
| September equinox | 06:36 | 18:10 | 18:47 |
| December solstice | 07:12 | 15:36 | 16:21 |
Local time (America/Chicago).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Oct.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 25 | 28 | 38 | 48 | 59 | 69 | 73 | 72 | 65 | 54 | 42 | 31 |
| Precip in | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 2.3 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Indiana Dunes NP, 11 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
National Register of Historic Places, reference 88000069OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap element way/1330130735
Day trips start here
- Indiana Dunes National Park · 12 mi
- Portage · 17 mi
- Lake Station · 21 mi
- Hobart · 23 mi
- Gary · 24 mi
- Merrillville · 28 mi
Take the scenic way to Michigan City East Pierhead Light.
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