An historic light station along with 93 acres of unique island habitat make up this striking preserve, located six miles from the eastern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. At roughly 1,000 acres, the island is uninhabited and largely covered with a dense undergrowth of Canada yew and balsam fir due to the absence of deer and moose. Boreal forest, spruce bogs, and alder wetlands cover the island; there is one inland lake. The Manitou forest appears magical, with tree branches dramatically draped with 'old man's beard,' a grey-green lichen. Rare plants are found in the interior and along the rocky shoreline. Keweenaw Land Trust acquired this property from the U.S. Government under the auspices of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000.

From the wooden dock, a trail leads across the east end of the island to the Keweenaw Land Trust preserve and light station. The skeletal iron tower and attached two-story light keeper's residence are being rehabilitated by the Land Trust. Construction of the light station was authorized by Abraham Lincoln in 1861 and the modern lamp in the tower is a functioning aid to navigation maintained by the US Coast Guard. A brick storage building was added in 1895, and a concrete fog signal building in 1930 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

Beyond the romance of a lighthouse, contributing to the ecological significance of the Preserve is the remarkable number of birds that use the island as a refuge during spring and fall migrations. Thousands of raptors, water, and land birds pass overhead and rest at Manitou as they navigate the skies over Lake Superior.

The Preserve is open to the public for rock collecting, kayaking, bird watching and visiting the light station grounds, but getting to the island is challenging due to frequently treacherous waters off the Keweenaw's tip and lack of a protected harbor. Hiking on the island is limited due to the thick undergrowth.

The Preserve was established in 2004.

"Manitou presents an opportunity for the Land Trust to protect a historic site in a rich natural setting that is free from modern intrusions. The significance of the island as a funnel to concentrate migratory birds is still being discovered and each migration brings exciting new records that contribute to our understanding of bird distribution on the upper Great Lakes. Thankfully, Keweenaw Land Trust had the vision to step forward to protect the Manitou Light Station and apply the organization's land conservation skills to cultural preservation; the combination makes for a unique project."

JOE KAPLAN
ORNITHOLOGIST AND KLT VOLUNTEER

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