June 13, 2026

Beaver Island Fog Signal and Lighthouse – St. James Michigan

Black-And-White Photo Of A Brick Fog Signal Building With A Tall Chimney In The Foreground And A Lighthouse With Attached House On A Distant Rise, Labeled “Beaver Island Fog Signal And Lighthouse.”

The brick fog signal building and the lighthouse known as Beaver Head (also called Beaver Island Head Light) sit above the shoreline on Beaver Island in this vintage photo.

Beaver Head marked the island’s southern tip for Great Lakes traffic, and fog signals were added as shipping increased. Records note a fog signal was authorized in the late 1880s, and the fog signal building was replaced in 1915 after the earlier structure deteriorated. The light was later decommissioned in 1962.

This card is labeled “St. James, Mich.” — the island’s main village and mailing address — even though Beaver Head is on the south end of Beaver Island.

Have you visited Beaver Head, or do you have old Beaver Island postcards like this one?

#BeaverIsland #StJamesMichigan #LighthouseHistory #LakeMichigan #MichiganHistory

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Michaela Nolte

Michaela is a history buff and loves to export historical markers and old buildings and seeks stories about Michigan and Great Lakes history. When she is not writing, you can find her with a good book sipping wine on the beach.

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