Sick of walking laps in the campground, we decided to head out and take on a trail at Ludington State Park. When we were in Mears during July we toured Little Sable Point Lighthouse, but ran out of time to come to Ludington and take on Big Sable Point Lighthouse.
So today, we took the 1.5-mile trail to the Big Sable Point Lighthouse inside Ludington State Park. There is a dirt road, but only volunteers who live and work at the lighthouse are allowed to use it. About halfway down the trail there was a sign marker for a shipwreck site on the shore of Lake Michigan.
We decided to make the hike over a medium sized sand dune to the shoreline so we could see the shipwreck site. Once over the dune we de
cided to make the rest of the trek to the lighthouse on the deserted beach. Walking in sand is never easy, but we made the trip and enjoyed the beautiful weather.
The shipwreck marker was a simple sign marking the spot where the schooner George F. Foster was lost with a load of lumber in 1872. There was no mention whether anyone died in the wreck, but a few years ago the hull of the ship was uncovered on the beach. Presumably, the ship has been excavated, but there is no mention of where it is located now.
Along the trail there are markers that point out the flora and fauna of the sand dunes, which we found very interesting.
Once at the lighthouse we rested a minute on a bench and then ventured inside the lighthouse facility for the 130-step walk to the top. I’m not a big fan of outside, high places but the view was tremendous and I can always use the exercise.
A Ferris State University video explained that the construction of the lighthouse was delayed until 1867 because of the Civil War, but was manned from that year until 1968 when the U.S. Coast Guard fully automated the facility.
At one time the exterior, like its sister lighthouse in Mears, was made of bricks. The bricks at Big Sable were made in Wisconsin and of an inferior quality which resulted in its being covered with steel plates to preserve the site. The U.S. Coast Guard continues to maintain the light for pleasure craft. Bigger ships now rely on satellite navigation and the lighthouses are not as critical as they once were.
After a sales pitch by a volunteer trying to enlist us to join their ranks we headed out for the 1.5 mile trip back to the trail head and our car. Clouds were moving in, but we never felt a drop of rain. Temperatures were in the low 60s.
There is a third lighthouse in the series, the pier end lighthouse at the beachfront City park, but the water has been treacherous (a guy drowned out there Sunday) so we have not been able to walk out and visit it yet. First calm day, we’ll give it a try. We’re not going to drown though.
We passed the Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington on our way to the State Park and I noticed a statue of a Civil War soldier and a cluster of military grave markers. On our way home I stopped and took a few photos of the military graves and Civil War statue. The markers were from veterans who served in the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II and Korea. A few of the soldiers had served in more than one war.
I was intrigued by some Civil War era gravestones that were marked “Unknown U.S. soldier.” I tried doing some quick research but could not find out why “unknown” soldiers would be buried in a small cemetery in Ludington, Michigan.
I’ll keep working on it. Enjoy the photos from today’s adventures. The porthole photo is one of several I took from inside the walk up to the top of the lighthouse.
So today, we took the 1.5-mile trail to the Big Sable Point Lighthouse inside Ludington State Park. There is a dirt road, but only volunteers who live and work at the lighthouse are allowed to use it. About halfway down the trail there was a sign marker for a shipwreck site on the shore of Lake Michigan.
We decided to make the hike over a medium sized sand dune to the shoreline so we could see the shipwreck site. Once over the dune we de
cided to make the rest of the trek to the lighthouse on the deserted beach. Walking in sand is never easy, but we made the trip and enjoyed the beautiful weather.The shipwreck marker was a simple sign marking the spot where the schooner George F. Foster was lost with a load of lumber in 1872. There was no mention whether anyone died in the wreck, but a few years ago the hull of the ship was uncovered on the beach. Presumably, the ship has been excavated, but there is no mention of where it is located now.
Along the trail there are markers that point out the flora and fauna of the sand dunes, which we found very interesting.
Once at the lighthouse we rested a minute on a bench and then ventured inside the lighthouse facility for the 130-step walk to the top. I’m not a big fan of outside, high places but the view was tremendous and I can always use the exercise.
A Ferris State University video explained that the construction of the lighthouse was delayed until 1867 because of the Civil War, but was manned from that year until 1968 when the U.S. Coast Guard fully automated the facility.
At one time the exterior, like its sister lighthouse in Mears, was made of bricks. The bricks at Big Sable were made in Wisconsin and of an inferior quality which resulted in its being covered with steel plates to preserve the site. The U.S. Coast Guard continues to maintain the light for pleasure craft. Bigger ships now rely on satellite navigation and the lighthouses are not as critical as they once were.
After a sales pitch by a volunteer trying to enlist us to join their ranks we headed out for the 1.5 mile trip back to the trail head and our car. Clouds were moving in, but we never felt a drop of rain. Temperatures were in the low 60s.
There is a third lighthouse in the series, the pier end lighthouse at the beachfront City park, but the water has been treacherous (a guy drowned out there Sunday) so we have not been able to walk out and visit it yet. First calm day, we’ll give it a try. We’re not going to drown though.
We passed the Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington on our way to the State Park and I noticed a statue of a Civil War soldier and a cluster of military grave markers. On our way home I stopped and took a few photos of the military graves and Civil War statue. The markers were from veterans who served in the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II and Korea. A few of the soldiers had served in more than one war.
I was intrigued by some Civil War era gravestones that were marked “Unknown U.S. soldier.” I tried doing some quick research but could not find out why “unknown” soldiers would be buried in a small cemetery in Ludington, Michigan.
I’ll keep working on it. Enjoy the photos from today’s adventures. The porthole photo is one of several I took from inside the walk up to the top of the lighthouse.
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