Sail Away with Me old sport: The Time-Worn Tall Tale of Michigan's Copper

Pull up a pew, mateys, and join me on a voyage through time to Michigan's Copper Harbor Lighthouse – she's no drippy damsel in distress, but an old salt with a knack for spinning a yarn. Sailors have trusted her beacon since time immemorial, braving the blustery winter storms and catching a glimpse of summer's balmy days. But for our landlocked lot, the Copper Harbor Lighthouse is a window to a bygone era. Today, this sturdy sea dog stands tall and unyielding, a historical monument tower above the 800-foot pier, with the original keeper's house still attached to the base.

However, she's had more than her fair share of turbulence. With funding approved in 1847, the first tower was raised in 1848 using none other than Stone Masonry. But Old Man Sea was a reckless wave and strewed her for a loop, sending her back to the drawing board in 1866. The seas' cruel hand scooped up the original stones, creating a new foundation – a turn of events as exciting as it was unlikely. In 1933, the very heart of the Copper Harbor Light was purloined and placed atop a 62-foot white skeleton tower.

Alas, the adventurous light continued to dance on the waves, and in 2012, she was enrolled in the National Register of Historic Places. Hop aboard this venerable lighthouse, now managed by the Michigan Department of History, Arts, and Libraries, during the summer months when she's open for a good ol' gossip. Climb aboard a wooden double-ender launch and set sail for the beacon, feeling the breeze and breathing in the crisp scent of the lake. The voyage to the lighthouse takes but a scant 15 minutes from the Municipal pier.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons