Tawas Point Lighthouse celebrates 150th anniversary Aug. 7–8
Celebrate 150 years of the iconic Tawas Point Lighthouse Aug. 7–8 with free admission, family-friendly activities, and a live Great Lakes music concert by Lee Murdock.
What’s happening: The Michigan History Center, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Friends of Tawas Point Lighthouse and State Park are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the iconic Tawas Point Lighthouse on Friday, Aug. 7, and Saturday, Aug. 8.
About the event: The celebration kicks off at noon on Friday—National Lighthouse Day—featuring yard games, crafts, story time with the Iosco-Arenac District Library, and visits with partner organizations. Guests can enjoy snacks, purchase lighthouse merchandise from the friends group, and tour the lighthouse with waived admission.
On Saturday, Aug. 8, acclaimed Great Lakes musician Lee Murdock performs a free concert from 7 to 9 p.m. Bring picnic blankets, chairs, and snacks to enjoy an evening of music and storytelling drawn from Great Lakes history and legends.
The backstory: Built in 1853, the original lighthouse became ineffective when accretion—the accumulation of sediment extending the land—left the structure over a mile inland. To accommodate rising shipping traffic, the U.S. Lighthouse Board began construction on a new facility in spring 1876. Completed that November, the lighthouse shined its first light from the peninsula’s tip the following spring.
Other information Lighthouse admission is free on Friday. Saturday admission is $5 for adults 18 and older, $2 for youth ages 6–17, and free for children 5 and under. A valid Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into Tawas Point State Park.
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