The Quirky Passage Island Light: Michigan's Lake Superior's Wisecoast Watchman

Established in 1880, the Passage Island Light Station is no ordinary lighthouse. Nestled between Passage Island and Isle Royale, this fellow started as a tollbooth for seafarers - charging a rather hefty 35 cents. It brought in some decent cash, lighting up the station keeper's pocket and the whole darn place. But the US Board took the reins in 1894, and the toll, it became a thing of the past – although the local whispers say the secret one lived on.

Wink, wink. The lighthouse reaches 13 meters, with a square base, octagonal top, and a ten-sided iron lantern for the cherry on top. Part of the keeper's two-story, field stone residence, the entire setup covers around 26 by 30 feet in size. Automated in 1978, this crooked antique was enrolled in the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. Should you visit, watch out for the phantom ships that rumor has it still roam the Passage Island waters – eternal payers of their spectral toll, I dare say.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons