Seul Choix (pronounced Sis-shwa) Point Light marks a small harbor on Lake Michigan located on the south shore of the Upper Peninsula. Some sixty miles west of the Straits, the name means "only choice".
Native Americans and French fur traders traveled in canoes across the rough waters of Lake Michigan. It was named by the French who found that it was the only harbor of refuge in this part of Lake Michigan. If boats were headed for the Straits of Mackinac, the only choice for safety was Seul Choix.
During the mid-1800's Seul Choix Point was the center of a thriving fishing community, but today, only the lighthouse complex is still active. The light still operates, but with an automated replacement for its original lens. The light was placed into service in 1892, but the tower had to be rebuilt and the station was not entirely completed until September, 1895.
The conical brick light tower rests on an ashlar foundation 12 feet high, with 5 feet below grade, and has a diameter of 18 feet at the base of the brickwork, and 12 feet, 8 inches at the parapet. The tower is surmounted by a 10-sided cast iron lantern that originally held a Third Order Fresnel lens manufactured by Le Paute of Paris. The lantern is now fitted with a modern airport beacon lens.
Overall, the tower is 78 feet, 9 inches tall, measured to the top of the ventilator ball, producing a lens focal plane 80 feet above the mean low water level of Lake Michigan. The lighthouse exhibited a fixed red light, varied by a red flash every fifteen seconds, and its beacon was visible for thirteen miles. The station, also operated a fog signal which was a 10-inch steam whistle.
Sea-Lites custom-crafted Seul Choix lighthouses are just like the original! They feature the same precise detail as the real Seul Choix Lighthouse. We can custom craft a Seul Choix Lighthouse for you in any size, from 5' 6" to 12'. Please call for shipping quote, and charges will be added when order ships.
We add windows and doors for authenticity. Our windows, doors, corbels and lens are high technology injection molded plastic with fine detail and specifications to match the existing features on the beautiful lighthouses. They come with a lifetime warranty. All our fiberglass lighthouses come with a flasher lamp, waterproof exterior, grounded electrical wiring and the highest quality paints and finishes. No assembly required.
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