Portage River Lighthouse
Jacobsville, Michigan. Keweenaw Bay, Lake Superior. Established 1856.
Established 1856 | Current Tower Built 1869 | Restoration started 2022
The Portage River Lighthouse, also called the Jacobsville Lighthouse, has stood on Keweenaw Bay of Lake Superior since 1856. Its tower of red Jacobsville sandstone dates to 1869 to 1870, and we are restoring it.
The Portage River Lighthouse is private property and an active restoration site.
Public access is not permitted outside of scheduled Open House days.
🚫 No Trespassing beyond the marked gravel viewing area along the fence.
📷 The best views are from the water, consider a trip with our official partner, Keweenaw Boat Tours.
The Restoration, Season by Season
We work on the lighthouse each June through September, when the weather and our help allow. Here's where things stand.
2022 to 2025: Done
New roofs on every building
Buried electric, gas, water and septic lines
Guesthouse finished
Tower restoration, phases 1 and 2
Keeper's Cottage waterlines and phase 1
Parking area, fence and bank work
Summer 2026: Done
Tower restoration, phase 3
Keeper's Cottage, phase 2
Summer 2027: Planned
More tower restoration
Lantern room, phase 1
More Keeper's Cottage work
Follow the Restoration
One email a month from the Keeper's Log: what we fixed, what we found, and how the search for the lens is going. Join the newsletter.
