Manistee's North Pierhead Lighthouse

Standing watch over Lake Michigan waters, the North Pierhead Lighthouse welcomes boaters into its harbor, and is a reminder of Manistee’s great maritime history.

First built in 1869, it burned in the Great Fire and a new one was constructed in 1872. The North Pierhead Lighthouse is built from cast iron and stands 39 feet tall. 

Many changes have taken place over the years–including a wooden catwalk that was eventually replaced by an iron one around 1900. Many Michigan lighthouses demolished their catwalks when the lights became electrified, so Manistee’s catwalk is a rare sight. In the late 1920s, after extensive pier renovations, the old fog signal building was replaced by the present structure.