Last year three Michigan lighthouses marked their 150th anniversaries. In 2025, another Michigan lighthouse will reach that milestone and there is a special event planned to celebrate. The White River Light Station is open to the public as a museum in the summer months, so you have many chances to visit this year. This was one of the earliest lighthouses we visited, and the first one we were able to go inside. Because of that it has always been a special place for us and we enjoy visiting it at least once a year.

The Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association maintains the lighthouse and museum here. In a recent Facebook post they showcase a special anniversary logo, posted an opening date of May 22nd for the museum, and said a special anniversary event will take place on June 21st. This group did a great job celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Little Sable Point Light last year and we’re sure they’ll throw another great party for the White River Light Station!

The White River Light Station was built a few years after a channel was dug connecting White Lake to Lake Michigan. The lumber industry in the area was responsible for many of the early ships visiting the area, while years later this are became a popular summer resort destination. The lighthouse has a forty foot tall octagonal brick tower that is connected to a two-story dwelling. It shares design similarities with Michigan lighthouses at McGulpin Point and Eagle Harbor, as well as Wisconsin lighthouse at Eagle Bluff and Chambers Island.

Inside the lighthouse museum you can learn a lot about what it was like for those working here. William Robinson served as the keeper here for more than 45 years, and after he passes the lighthouse keeper was Frances Marshall who would be the last female lightkeeper in the state. The light was automated in 1918, and the lighthouse was decommissioned in the 1960s. We look forward to celebrating this beautiful Michigan lighthouse throughout 2025!