McGulpin Point Lighthouse Museum

500 Headlands Road
Mackinaw City Michigan 49701
(231) 436-5860

Open 10 AM - 6PM daily until October 28, 2023
Age 7 and older: $3 per person

McGulpin Point Lighthouse Map

Lighthouses of the Straits of Mackinac

McGulpin's Point Lighthouse - Mackinaw City, Michigan
Restored McGulpin's Point Lighthouse

McGulpin Point Lighthouse (1869) is located on a bluff overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, 2 miles west of Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse near the Mackinaw City, Michigan village limit. McGulpin Point Lighthouse was deactivated in 1906. For decades the lighthouse was a private residence and the property was not open to the public.

After the lighthouse property was offered for sale for several years, Emmet County agreed to purchase the lighthouse for $720,000 in the summer of 2008. In the Spring of 2009 Emmet County replaced the long missing light & lantern room and began returning the residence portion of the lighthouse into a museum dedicated to the history of McGulpin's Point Light and the surrounding McGulpin family land claim. On  May 30, 2009 the McGulpin Point Light returned to shining across the Straits of Mackinac for the first time since 1906.

The grounds are open anytime. Over time, the residence has been developed into a nice museum, but I think the best reason for entering the building is to climb the winding stairway to the top of the tower.

McGulpin Point Lighthouse before restoration

Straits of Mackinac Lighthouses Straits of Mackinac lighthouses


Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore


Mackinac Island in Winter

Mackinac Bridge - Straits of Mackinac

Mackinac Bridge

Mighty Mac Home

UP Lighthouses Tahquamenon Falls & Whitefish Point

2006 Straits of Mackinac Weekend


McGulpin Point Lighthouse in winter (prints & greeting cards of this photo)

McGulpin Point Lighthouse - Mackinaw City, MIchigan
McGulpin Point Lighthouse lantern house


McGulpin Point Lighthouse in mid October

McGulpin Point Tidelands Signal 300-MLED optic
New Tidelands Signal 300-MLED optic. The original light had a 3 1/2 order Fresnel lens.

Mackinac Bridge and Mackinac Island from McGulpin Point
Mackinac Bridge and Mackinac Island as seen from the McGulpin Point Lighthouse tower.

Tug and barge in the Straits of Mackinac
A tug and barge passing McGulpin Point

McGulpin Point Lighthouse Map
Take Central Avenue west 2 miles from downtown Mackinaw City. Turning right on Headlands Drive.
McGulpin Point Lighthouse will be on the right hand side.

McGulpin Point Lighthouse before restoration

Lighthouses of the Straits of Mackinac     Mighty Mac Home

Copyright 2009-2022 by Keith Stokes