D e p a r t m e n t s | GREAT LAKES BOATING 55
LIGHTHOUSES OF THE GREAT LAKES
C
harlevoix is situat-
ed on an isthmus
between Lake
Michigan and
Lake Charlevoix
and encircles tiny Round Lake,
which — along with the Pine River
— serves as a link between the two
larger lakes.
The first effort to improve ac-
cess from Lake Michigan to Round
Lake was in 1868, when a roughly
100-foot-wide channel between the
two lakes was dredged and lined
by close piling. In 1885, a square,
open-frame tower topped by an
iron lantern was installed at the
Lake Michigan end of the north
pier. The pierhead light com-
menced operation on September
1, 1885.
After some relocation, the fog
bell on the south pierhead was
superseded by a type "C" air dia-
phone in 1938, which sounded a
two-second blast every 20 seconds.
Charlevoix residents took a liking
to the new fog signal and affection-
ately called it Ferdinand.
The pierhead light at Charlev-
oix was looked after by a keeper
until 1940. Betty Hoffmann, who
purchased the property in 1962,
later donated the residence to the
City of Charlevoix, which razed
the dwelling in 1984 to create
Hoffmann Park. The park provides
a beautiful, lake-front area for
Charlevoix residents to sit back,
relax and watch boats to this day.
CHARLEVOIX SOUTH
PIER LIGHT STATION
CHARLEVOIX, MICHIGAN
