Grand Haven's first Federal lighthouse was established in 1839 on the south shore of the river (the Grand River Light). The light was replaced in 1855 with a new beacon situated high on a bluff, east of Lake Michigan's shore. The new light had a focal plane of 150 ft. above water level, but was also later replaced by another lighthouse in 1895 on the south pier. The pier actually includes two beacons, the Inner Light and the Pierhead Light.
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The pierhead light was built at the pier's end in 1875 as a wood framed fog signal building. A beacon was added in 1895 to replace the east bluff light. Due to the pier being extended a few times, the light ended up 600 ft. from the pier's end. The structure was moved to the end of the extended pier in 1905, and a steel plated inner light was constructed at it's original location. The outer light was sheathed in iron in 1922 to protect the wood.
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