Great Lakes Boating

w w w.G r e a t L a ke s B o a t i n g .c o m D e p a r t m e n t | GREAT LAKES BOATING 55 Lighthouses Of The Great Lakes By Seth Harper FRANKFORT NORTH BREAKWATER LIGHTHOUSE LAKE MICHIGAN, MICHIGAN T he job of a lighthouse keep- er is one that takes constant work and diligence. There isn't much time for sick days and on top of the hard work comes a danger factor as well. Quite simply, this job isn't for the faint of heart. The Frankfort North Breakwater Light- house on Lake Michigan, which was first lit in 1873 and is still operational today, saw two of its keepers die during their time in service at the lighthouse. There to help with the fog signal, Sheridan King was an assistant keeper at Frankfort in 1902. While out on a small boat one day, he was called out by a ferry captain to get out of the way. King did not have time to move out of the way before the ferry rammed into his boat, smashing it to pieces. The ferry captain kept going, not stopping to help King, who only lived for 15 minutes after the crash. Keeper Joseph Wilmot, who had King as his assistant nine years earlier, also died during his service. Despite being ill, Wilmot continued to work at his duties but eventually succumbed to his sickness. Both men left their wives widowed. Despite past tragedies, the Frankfort North Breakwater Lighthouse is a beau- tiful symbol for the Frankfort community and welcomes people to their city. It's 71 feet tall at focal height, covers 16 nautical miles and has a pyramidal-shaped tow- er. In 1912 the original timber structure was replaced by a steel one right on the North Pier. The light is located on the north breakwater in the Frankfort, Mich., harbor, is on the National Register of Historic Places and is currently owned by the city of Frankfort. •

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