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 Vermillion Point, which is about 4.625 miles east of Crisp Point. **



• June 20, 1874 -- The U.S. Congress authorized the establishment of four lifesaving stations for eastern Lake Superior, one of which was Crisp Point. **



• 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 built.



• 1876 -- Crisp Point Life-Saving Station became operational.



• March 17, 1877 -- David Grummond appointed temporary keeper of Station No. 10. He leaves in 1878. ***



• October 3, 1878 -- Christopher Crisp appointed keeper of Station No. 10. *** Click here to learn more about Christopher Crisp and his family.



• 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. ***



• 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 Bonakes Weather Page http://www.wluctv6.com/Global/story.asp?S=5735455. 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".
  
  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.