Our time as volunteer keepers at Michigan’s Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse and Maritime Museum wasn’t just about history and scenic views—it was a deep dive into the unexpected, from tantalizing local cuisine to the silent, mysterious presence of a ghost who never quite made her entrance.

Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Keeping

In a Huron County Park, just off M-25 between Port Hope and Port Austin, the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse sits quietly on Lighthouse Road on the tip of Michigan’s Thumb. (I have an urge to diagram that sentence like we did in 6th grade English class.) It’s not exactly isolated, but there’s a definite sense of being off the beaten path, where every landmark counts. 

The area at the tip of Michigan’s Thumb got its name—Pointe aux Barques—from French sailors around 1760, meaning “point of ships.” Back in 1848, when the original lighthouse was built, it was just wilderness with a catchy French name. That name stuck to the lighthouse. Not too far away, in the gated community of Pointe aux Barques, you’ll find another important landmark: the famous Turnip Rock.

If you’re keen on seeing Turnip Rock up close, you’ll need a kayak—it’s the only way to get there.

Getting to Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse 

Instead of hugging the coastline, we chose to drive across Michigan’s Thumb from Ann Arbor to Pointe aux Barques.

In Chuck’s August 9, 2024, Sunday Sip, he described the landscape zipping past our car windows in Michigan’s Thumb best. “The drive takes you through miles and miles of farmland. Giant wind turbines twist in the wind as the crops of corn, beets, and beans spread out to the horizon. The only breaks are the wooded boundaries and criss-crossing roads.” 

At one point, a detour nudged us off the main road, and suddenly, we were on an unexpected adventure down dirt roads. The land rolled gently around us, with fences and trees lining the way as cattle graze peacefully. It felt like stepping into a real-life 1000-piece puzzle I once pieced together.

During our drive across the Thumb, dodging large farm equipment and honey wagons, we stumbled upon a barn with several murals–one of those delightful surprises that make road trips memorable. It wasn’t the work of the famous street artist Banksy, but I couldn’t help thinking of him when we encountered it. Why was it here? Did it just appear one morning and surprise the neighbors? 

Turns out, I wasn’t that far off. The artwork is by the Art duo Hygienic Dress League (HDL). PBS News did a news piece about it. 

Volunteer GIGs

This wasn’t our first rodeo as lighthouse keepers, so I came in with certain expectations. Naturally, I found myself comparing it to our previous experience at the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. But, as with comparing kids, it’s never really fair. Each experience was unique in its own way—neither better nor worse, just different.

People often ask us how we managed to snag such a cool volunteer gig. Spoiler alert: no luck was involved! We simply followed the instructions on the website. During our time as keepers at Pointe aux Barques, alongside my sister and her husband, we rolled up our sleeves for all sorts of projects.

My favorite part was welcoming guests to the lighthouse. By the time we left, I had become quite the tour guide, offering visitors a pretty solid walkthrough of the museum. (By our last day, I rarely had to improvise.) 

Bird Stories

During our orientation as assistant lighthouse keepers, we learned how to pronounce “Barques” correctly. “It sounds like ‘bark,’ you know, like a dog’s bark,” explained Larry, our go-to guy for all things lighthouse-related. After a bit of practice with “Barques,” Larry shared a quirky tidbit: the Cedar Waxwings would eat crushed-up crackers from your hand if you stood under the trees behind the lighthouse.

I had my doubts about that one. Sure enough, the birds just gave us the side-eye; no cracker was nibbled.

Ghost Stories 

As for ghostly encounters, we didn’t see any, but Chuck got thoroughly spooked by an upstairs closet in the lighthouse. Larry had mentioned during our tour that “Lighthouse Lucy” likes to hang out there. I’m pretty sure Lucy was holding onto the door to keep us out—I couldn’t get it open!

Larry described Lucy as a friendly ghost, much like Casper, but with a bit of an attitude if you’re not on her good side. I was dying to hear her full story, but Larry kept that one under wraps. He did, however, treat us to a tour of the lighthouse tower.

If you’d like to read more about Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses, check out Dianna Higgs Stampfler’s book published by Haunted America. 

Lighthouse Keeper Perks 

One of the many perks was the view from the porch of the assistant lighthouse keeper’s house. 

We were treated to breathtaking sunrises. Often, we could see freighters and sailboats dotting the horizon. The house itself was a cozy retreat, complete with two bedrooms, a shared bathroom, a living room, a kitchen, and a dining room.

Another delightful surprise was the abundance of excellent local restaurants. A few of our top picks were The Farm Restaurant, Bird Creek Farms, Shelley’s Bar and Grill, and The Bank in Port Austin. We even took a little road trip to Caseville, about 30 minutes away, to visit Thumb Brewery. And I can’t forget to mention Rybak’s Ice Cream Store on Copeland Road, just outside Port Austin—it’s a must-visit!

Photos

More Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse photos are in our gallery. 

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