Crisp Point was one of five Lake Superior U.S. Life-Saving Service Stations along the coast between Munising and Whitefish Point. It is located about fourteen miles west of Whitefish Point. It was built in 1875 and became operational in 1876 as Life Saving Station Number Ten, of the U.S. Life-Saving Service District 10 (it was later part of District 11) . Crisp Point inherited its name from one of the Life Saving Station keepers, an iron-willed boatman named Christopher Crisp. The other four Life-Saving Stations were Vermillion Point (now Vermilion), Two Heart River, Deer Park (formerly Sucker River Station and Muskallonge Lake Station) and Grand Marais.

Crisp Point Lighthouse was first proprosed in 1896 and every year thereafter until finally approved in June of 1902. The land was purchased--fifteen acres--at a price of $30.00. The deed was dated May 21, 1903.

• June 1858 -- The propeller Indiana began leaking and foundered just off of Crisp Point. The ship was loaded with 280 tons of iron ore and was downbound from Marquette. Fortunately, no lives were lost. The ship was discovered again in 1975 by sport divers in 118 feet of water. Much was salvaged from the ship in 1979 by the Smithsonian Institute, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Michigan Department of State, the U.S. Navy, and representatives from various Great Lakes maritime institutions. **
  
  
• November 1864 -- The steamer City of Cleveland grounded on the beach at the mouth of the Two Hearted River, which is about 8.75 miles southwest of Crisp Point. Salvagers eventually made her into a barge. **
  
  
• November 4, 1869 -- The 426 ton schooner W.W. Arnold was found shattered at the mouth of the Two Hearted River. A northwesterly gale with snow blew for 24 hours. **
  
  
• May 1870 -- Due to the weather, the 292 ton schooner Southwest went ashore at Vermilion Point, which is about 4.625 miles east of Crisp Point. **
  
  
• March 24, 1873 -- U.S. Secretary of Treasury Richardson instructs a Board of Life-Saving Officers to survey Lake Superior for suitable locations for lifesaving stations. **
  
  
• June 20, 1874 -- The U.S. Congress authorized the establishment of four lifesaving stations for eastern Lake Superior at Crisp Point, Vermilion Point, Two-Hearted River, and Muskallonge Lake (aka Deer Park). **
  
  
• September 1874 -- The location for Crisp Point Life-Saving Station was chosen by Captain J.H. Merryman of the U.S. Revenue Marine. **
  
  
• 1875 -- Crisp Point Life-Saving Station and the other three stations for eastern Lake Superior were built.
  
  
• 1876 -- Crisp Point and the other three eastern Life-Saving Stations became operational.
  
  
• March 17, 1877 -- David Grummond appointed temporary keeper of Station No. 10. He leaves in 1878. ***
  
  
• June 1877 -- The propeller City of New York and schooner America collide just off of Whitefish Point with the City of New York being beached near Vermilion Point. Both were repaired. **
  
  
• October 27, 1877 -- The small passenger steamer St. Marie (also sometimes called the St. Mary) was nearly blown out of the water near Crisp Point. 34 people were able to wade to shore and walk to a lifesaving station. The vessel was salvagable. **
  
  
• October 3, 1878 -- Christopher Crisp appointed keeper of Station No. 10. *** Click here to learn more about Christopher Crisp and his family.
  
  
• October 20, 1886 -- The 138-foot, 330-ton schooner-barge Eureka sinks about six miles off Vermilion Point under command of Captain Cartwright with five other crewmen, all of whom drowned. It was being towed at the time by the steamer Prentice, but the tow line had broke during a bad storm. **
  
  
• June 2, 1887 -- The steamer Argonaut went aground northwest of Crisp Point. **
  
  
• September 7, 1887 -- The iron-ore laden 205-foot schooner-barge Niagara was being towed by the steamer Australasia when a sudden gale struck and the towline parted. She capsized to starboard under command of Captain Clements several miles from shore off Vermilion Point. Clements and his crew tried to reach shore in a lifeboat, but it capsized and all perished. It is unknown how many people died, but it is reported to be either nine or 10.**
  
  
• March 18, 1890 -- Christopher Crisp discharged as keeper. ***
  
  
• April 4, 1890 -- Robert M. Small appointed keeper of Crisp Point. Transfers to Station Ottawa Point on November 6, 1896. ***
  
  
• May 4, 1891 -- The 172-foot schooner Atlanta, laden with coal, sinks 20 miles northwest of Crisp Point. Captain James L. Knowlton and his crew of seven make it to Crisp Point in a lifeboat. The Captain wanted to keep going to Whitefish Point where he believed they could have a safer landing, but his crew persuades him to try landing at the Crisp Point Life-Saving Station. As they get closer, the boat capsizes due to the breakers and three of the occupants drown. The remaining four cling to the boat, which rolls over again. Meanwhile, the lifesaving crew at Crisp Point was at supper and the lookout thought the approaching lifeboat was a large pine trunk. An area resident alerts the lifesavers of the people in the water, who then go out into the breakers in their cork lifejackets lead by Captain Small. They rescue two of the crew and have to resuscitate them on shore. Captain Knowlton's body was found by the Crisp Point Lifesavers 18 days later, while another crew member's body was found by the Vermilion Point Life-Saving Station crew on July 20. The Crisp Point lookout who failed to notice the lifeboat was discharged for his failure to spot the boat in time to prevent the capsizing and the subsequent deaths. In all, four men and one woman drown in this unfortunate event. **
  
  
• September 21, 1891 -- The schooner Mabel Wilson runs afoul of the shoals west of Crisp Point with relatively little damage. **
  
  
• September 29, 1891 -- The 174-foot schooner Frank Perew goes to the bottom about 15 miles northwest of Vermilion Point. The seven person crew make it in a lifeboat to Parisienne Island (in Whitefish Bay), only to have the boat capsize and all drown with the exception of Charles Larabie. **
  
  
• 1896 -- Crisp Point Lighthouse first proposed.
  
  
• April 2, 1897 -- Harry Gibb appointed keeper of Crisp Point. He resigned on October 20th of the same year. ***
  
  
• November 17, 1897 -- James Hunter appointed keeper of Crisp Point Life-Saving Station. ***
  
  
• June 1902 -- Congress approved the lighthouse project and appropriated $18,000 for its construction.
  
  
• 1903 -- Fog signal building constructed.
  
  
• 1903 -- Boiler destroyed by storm. Machinery for second fog signal installed, new chime whistle replaced standard whistle.
  
  
• 1903-1904 -- Lighthouse constructed.
  
  
• May 5, 1904 -- Lighthouse became operational.
  
  
• May 31, 1904 -- James Scott appointed as Life-Saving Station Keeper. He is Keeper until he leaves in 1915.***
  
  
• June 8, 1904 -- James Hunter resigned as Life-Saving Station Keeper. ***
  
  
• 1906 -- Brick service room built, connected to lighthouse tower.
  
  
• 1907 -- Landing crib built.
  
  
• 1915 -- Daniel Shelton (acting) appointed keeper of Crisp Point Life-Saving Station in 1915. ***
  
  
• November 1919 -- The John Owen sinks. William J. Reilly went down with the Owen and his body was not found until the Spring of 1920. He was then buried in the Crisp Point Cemetary. ****
  
  
• November 5, 1925 -- The wooden barge Crane sinks in 25 feet of water as it is being towed by the steamer Herman H. Hettler. Five men and one woman aboard are lost. ****
  
  
• 1928 -- While deer hunting in the Big Tahquamenon Falls area in a large swamp, Roy Singleton found a man lost and took him to Crisp Point where the Singleton family was living. This man was Lou Williams from Ohio, known as the "Buckeye Poet". Mr. Williams had been lost for three days when Roy found him at dusk the third night. Mr. Williams wrote the following poem by the light of an Aladdin lamp and dedicated it to Joseph N. Singleton, Keeper of Crisp Point Light in 1928: CRISP POINT WATCH IS EVER

  Roll Superior, cast thy strength; twisting, raging, turning.
  But the Sailor knows no doubt or fear,
  For through the night comes a glean of cheer - Crisp Point light is burning.
  Rage Superior, spread thy fog, sleet, rain, and snowing.
  But the Sailor sleeps in faith secure,
  Though the stars are gone, the way is sure - Crisp Point horn is blowing.
  Storm Superior, rage and roll. Spread thy vain endeavor.
  Here no tale of death to tell - Crisp Point watch is ever.

• 1930 -- Property and facilities appraised at under $20,000.
  
  
• 1965 -- All but light tower and service room destroyed by Coast Guard.
  
  
• November 27, 1966 On this night, a snow storm took the lives of Faye (Leighton) Purman and Leslie "Doc" Purman along Luce County Road 414 near Pine Stump Junction. The following story is from Carl Bohnak Weather Page. The proprietors of Pike Lake Resort had just closed the place down for the winter, as the last of the deer hunters headed south. Faye Leighton had operated the resort since 1941. A widow for over 20 years, she married a longtime family friend, Leslie "Doc" Purman in 1964. As darkness fell that Sunday evening, the couple left isolated Pike Lake and headed toward Newberry on one of the backwoods roads. They became stuck along the way and apparently decided to walk to the Pine Stump Junction Bar for help. The pair struggled through the biting wind and blinding snow for nearly four miles. Exhausted, they probably decided to rest for a while. Their frozen bodies were found cuddled up in a snowdrift beneath a cedar tree on December 1, three days after the storm ended. Ironically, they were less than a half-mile from their destination. A ferocious gale and snowstorm rendered a short hike an insurmountable obstacle that evening in late November 1966. From "So Cold a Sky, Upper Michigan Weather Stories" http://www.upweatherhistory.com/.
  
  The following two photos were taken by Ben Musielak in May 2007. purmans1.jpg / purmans2.jpg
  
  
• November 10, 1975 -- On this night, the steamer Edmund Fitzgerald sunk during a violent storm. It sunk about 17 miles northeast of Crisp Point.
  
  
• 1988 -- Don and Nellie Ross first discover Crisp Point Light.
  
  
• 1991 -- Don and Nellie Ross start up Crisp Point Light Historical Society.
  
  
• November 8, 1992 -- Crisp Point Lighthouse ends its service as an automated aid to navigation. ****
  
  
• 1993 -- Crisp Point Lighthouse decommissioned.
  
  
• November 1996 -- Entrance building destroyed by erosion, tower still intact.
  
  
• February 1997 -- Crisp Point Light saved from auction block and private ownership, becomes property of Luce County.
  
  
• January 1998 -- Stone was hauled in from a quarry in Newberry by truck and placed around the lighthouse by contractor John Lechner from Dafter, MI. A heavy duty filter cloth was also placed under the stone. C.P.L.H.S. paid $42,000 for this work to be done. This stone was installed to protect the light from being washed away by Lake Superior.
  
  
• September 2006 -- Construction on replica entrance building to lighthouse begins.
  
  
• October 2007 -- Roof and new windows installed on replica entrance building and stone shore protection is repaired on east side of lighthouse.
  
  
• May 2009 -- Construction began on visitor's center building.
  
  
• July 25, 2012 -- Private Aids to Navigation (PATON) Permit approved by US Coast Guard to allow operation of a light again at Crisp Point Lighthouse (LLNR 14535) as a Class II PATON from May 1st to November 1st annually, starting in 2013. The light will have a FL W 6s characteristic (flashing white every six seconds) and a range of six miles or less.
  
  
• November 23, 2012 -- New 300mm marine light mounted in lantern room of lighthouse.