The Huron lighthouse and pier have become a major destination for residents and visitors alike. A popular spot for fishing, cycling, walking and birding, the lighthouse and pier have played an integral part in the lives of Huronites for years. It is maintained by the United States Coast Guard. The blockhouse which served as the base for the lighthouse before the pier was extended in 1936, is now an observation deck.
The spoils site, which is adjacent to lighthouse, is a 64 acre containment facility completed in 1974 and owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The area has been used as a place to dump polluted materials of sand, silt and mud dredged from the Huron River. At one time, city officials planned to use the area as a park when filled. Today it is a popular birding destination.
Constructed of iron, the second lighthouse contained a spiral staircase that wound through the middle to the top, where the light and foghorn were located. It was first built as an open framed structure, but later enclosed.The third lighthouse, constructed in 1936, was built in the art deco style popular at the time. The 72 foot high pyramidal structure rose above a concrete pedestal at the end of the newly extended pier, three quarters of a mile from shore.The first lighthouse, constructed of wood in 1835 was part of a harbor improvement project that also included the construction of the east and west pier. When a fierce storm destroyed the structure in 1854 it was rebuilt three years later at the end of the west pier, where the base of the blockhouse still stands.The first light keeper's house was built after 1838 but was washed away during a storm. Located on Wall Street the second house was completed in 1873 and today is privately owned. Light keepers tended the lighthouse from 1835 to 1958.
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