One Light, Several Names

The Portage River Lighthouse and the Jacobsville Lighthouse are the same building: a historic light on Keweenaw Bay of Lake Superior, in the village of Jacobsville, Michigan. Portage River Lighthouse is its official name. It is not the same as the Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light, the newer light on the breakwater nearby.

 

The names, and where each comes from

• Portage River Lighthouse: The official name. The light was first lit in 1856 to mark the mouth of the Portage River.

• Portage River Light: How the Lighthouse Board and the Coast Guard listed the station. Also the name we use for our restoration.

• Jacobsville Lighthouse: The local name, after the village the light stands in.

• Portage River (Jacobsville) Lighthouse: The form most lighthouse guides use, both names at once.

• Jacobsville Lighthouse Inn: The bed and breakfast that operated in the keeper's house from 2004 to 2019. The inn is closed.

• Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light: A different light, on the breakwater at the waterway entrance. It replaced ours in 1920. Use this name only for that light.

 

Why "Portage River" when the river is hard to find on a map

The Portage River was the old water route into the Keweenaw, from Keweenaw Bay up to Portage Lake and the copper towns. That route became the Keweenaw Waterway, and the old river mouth is now its lower entrance. The lighthouse kept the old name.

 

Why "Jacobsville"

The light stands in Jacobsville, a small village on the east shore of the Keweenaw, best known for its red sandstone. Our mailing address is Lake Linden, the nearest post office, which is why you will see both town names attached to the lighthouse.

 

The light people confuse it with

The Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light sits at the end of the breakwater at the waterway entrance, near White City. It went into service on August 1, 1920, and the same day the Portage River light was retired. It is a separate structure with its own history.

 

The Keweenaw Waterway Upper Entrance Light is on the far side of the peninsula, at the waterway's other end, near F. J. McLain State Park. Also a separate light.

 

If a photo shows a white-coated stone tower joined to a two-story brick house on a wooded shore, that's us. If it shows a light on the end of a long breakwater, it's the Lower Entrance Light.

 

About the Jacobsville Lighthouse Inn

From 2004 to 2019, the keeper's dwelling operated as a bed and breakfast called the Jacobsville Lighthouse Inn. The inn closed in 2019, and we bought the property in 2022. It is now a private home and an active restoration project. It is not a lodging business, and it does not take bookings. If you find an old listing, review site or map pin that says otherwise, it is out of date.

 

Is jacobsvillelighthouse.com your site?

No. This site, portageriverlighthouse.com, is the only site run by the lighthouse's owners. We are not connected to jacobsvillelighthouse.com.

 

 

Frequently asked questions

Is the Jacobsville Lighthouse the same as the Portage River Lighthouse?

Yes. Same building, same place. Portage River Lighthouse is the official name. Read its full history.

 

Is the Jacobsville Lighthouse Inn still open?

No. The inn operated from 2004 to 2019 and is closed. The lighthouse is now a private home under restoration.

 

Is the Portage River Lighthouse the same as the Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light?

No. The Lower Entrance Light is on the breakwater nearby. It replaced the Portage River light in 1920.

 

What is the official website of the Portage River Lighthouse?

portageriverlighthouse.com, run by the owners.

 

 

Sources

• U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office: "Portage River Light" and "Keweenaw Waterway Lower Entrance Light."

• Lighthousefriends.com, "Portage River (Jacobsville) Lighthouse."

 

Last reviewed: November 2026