Copper Harbor and the Lighthouse

The village of Copper Harbor, the harbor and Lake Superior beyond the harbor. Taken from Brockway Mountain Drive.
The view from the top of Brockway Mountain Drive.


The Copper Harbor Lighthouse with a sailboat on Lake Superior in the distance.


Copper Harbor is an incredibly beautiful and the place where Douglas Houghton (the state of Michigan's first geologist) decided, in the early 1840's, that copper could be mined economically here. Fort Wilkins was built at Copper Harbor in 1844 to maintain order during the rush to find copper in Michigan. The fort was abandoned a mere two years later and is now an historic site where visitors are welcome. Included as part of this site is the Copper Harbor Lighthouse which is accessible only by boat. The lighthouse was among the first lighthouses to be built on Lake Superior. It began operating during the spring of 1849 and, in 1856, the lighthouse received a Fresnel lens. Today, the lighthouse operates as a nautical museum.

Visiting Copper Harbor is a delightful. Peaceful is a word that describes time spent here. There is very little traffic and life runs at a much slower pace. Local folks are friendly and have many wonderful stories to share. Then there is the view..........magnificent! From Brockway Mountain Drive to Lake Superior the beauty of nature in the Keweenaw never ceases to amaze.