The Poe Reef Lighthouse, Northern Lake Huron, MI

Poe Reef sits in the middle of a 3 mile wide south channel between the mainland and south of Bois Blanc Island , six miles north of Cheboygan, MI. The channel is heavily trafficked by vessels going to and from the Straits and Lake Huron. Poe Reef light sits on the north side of the channel and Fourteen Foot Shoal sits on the south side of the channel. The crew at Poe Reef remotely operated Fourteen Foot Shoal light when it was built. Poe Reef light is one of 14 reef lights in Michigan waters built in the 1920’s.
Built in 1929, this is a square 56’ tower atop a square concrete base. St. Martin light and Poe Reef light are built from the same plan. To “day marker” Poe Reef from the all white St. Martin light, the Poe Reef light is painted black, white, black with a red top with a 3rd order Fresnel lens. It was automated in 1974. The existing fog horn is still in service. It is not open to the public, but maybe seen from tour boats out of Mackinaw City, Mi.