The United States Life-Saving Service

In Michigan

 

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The United States Life Saving Service has many roots in Michigan. Although the services started out on the East Coast, they quickly grew where trade on the waterways prospered. As such, Michigan's shorelines, dangerous shoals and severe storms dealt out there fair share of disasters of life at sea on the Great Lakes. Many life saving station's were established in Michigan along with some volunteer life saving station's and crews. There are many interesting facts in which to explore about this service on the web site. Please explore to discover that the Life Saving Service saved hundreds and thousands of lives unlike the lighthouse service which tends to get all the credit.

The list below contains a list of the life saving stations located in Michigan with a brief description and photos of those stations we have photos of. When more information becomes available such as stories of rescues, etc. they will be added to the station pages in which location they took place.

A History of the Life Saving Service  by Dennis Noble who is a noted authority on the service. This article describes the service in detail and is a brief look into what they did.  

The following station are on the endangered list for Michigan. This means they are threatened by erosion, vandalism, deterioration or being torn down. Help is needed in all these cases to ensure their survival. The Endangered Stations List for Michigan:

November 2005 - White River Life Saving Station LOST - March 2006 posted

October 7th, 2004 Update  - Harbor Beach Station LOST - September 2004

  • Harbor Beach Life-Saving Station - Harbor Beach, MI.
  • Ludington Coast Guard Station - Ludington, MI.                                                            
  • Portage Life-Saving Station - Hancock, MI.                              
  • Tawas Life-Saving Station - Tawas, MI.                                                                        
  • Vermillion Life-Saving Station - Vermillion, MI.
  • White River Life Saving Station - Montague, MI.

Donate to the Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy to Help Save Michigan's Life Saving Station's, Because Life Saving Station's Need Saving Too.                              

Station Locations: (Listed by Lake)

Lake Erie - None in Michigan Lake Michigan Lake Superior
  Beaver Island Vermillion
Detroit River - None in  Michigan Charlevoix Crisp's Point
  North Manitou Two Heart
Lake Saint Clair - None in Michigan South Manitou Deer Park or Muskallonge Lake
  Sleeping Bear Point Grand Marias
Lake Huron Pointe Betsie Marquette
Lake View Beach/Port Huron Frankfort Eagle Harbor
Sand Beach or Harbor Beach Manistee Portage Lake Ship Canal
Point Aux Barques Grand Pointe Au Sable  
Port Austin/Grindstone City Ludington  
Ottawa Point - Tawas Point Pentwater  
Sturgeon Point White River  
Thunder Bay Island Muskegon  
Middle Island Grand Haven  
Hammond Bay Macatawa or Holland  
Bois Blanc Island/Walkers Point South Haven  
Mackinaw Island St. Joseph  
     
     

A special thank you to the U.S. Coast Guard Historians Office and The National Park Service for information and photos contained within this site.

     

Copyright © 2001-2008 Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy. All rights reserved.
Revised: 01/31/08.