Michigan Lighthouses - The William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse on Belle Isle in Detroit

On Belle Isle Park in the Detroit River right near the heart of Detroit stands a lonely but not completely forgotten lighthouse that was erected in 1930 in honor of one of the city's prominent citizens.

According to the Detroit Area Art Deco Society, the Livingstone Memorial is the only Art Deco lighthouse in the United States. It was designed by the Albert Kahn architectural firm.

Who was William Livingstone?

The memorial was built in honor of William Livingstone who was born in Canada of Scottish ancestry. He lived in Detroit since he was a young boy and became a leader in the city's shipping and navigational interests. He was one of the founders and later the president of the Lake Carriers Association which was responsible for early improvement of lake transportation in the area. There was even a navigation channel along the Detroit River named after him.

Some of his other leadership positions include being the general manager of the Michigan Navigation Company, Percheron Steam Navigation Company and the director of the Interlake Steamship Company. Livingstone also was involved in other Detroit businesses including banking, the Detroit Board of Trade and the Detroit Journal Company. A lighthouse is an apt memorial to a Detroit citizen who was truly devoted to the advancement of the city and its waterways.

According to Michael Rodriguez and Thomas Featherstone in Images of America: Detroit's Belle Isle - Island Park Gem, the Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse opened in 1930 and was originally a navigational aid for boats and freighters going between Lake St. Claire and the Detroit River. But the island's length was eventually extended another half mile and now the light sits too far back on the island to be of much help to lake traffic.

In this article, I share with you some photos of the light taken on a trip to Belle Isle in August 2011. The light isn't open to the public, but my husband and I got close enough to get a few good pictures. It's surrounded by a locked gate as this area of the island or the lighthouse itself isn't kept up. But if you're a lighthouse buff, I still think a visit to this light is worth the trip.

The full view is of the front (I believe) of this lovely light covered in Georgia marble and includes a relief over the door. A closeup of the relief is pictured below.

The light seemed far away until we realized we were on a winding road. I thought this was a good pic of the lighthouse in the distance and somewhat surreal since trees now flank what used to be a guiding light. I remarked to my husband what a pretty wedding setting this would make if it was still kept up, especially if the wedding couple also were pictured in front of the beautiful Scott Fountain, another architectural feature of the island.

It's not a bad trek to the lighthouse. But because of the quality of the terrain, I wouldn't put this on my list of handicap-accessible lights, especially for those in wheelchairs or who need any serious help walking.

This female figure represents human control of nature. And the symbols of stars, wind and water allude to the navigational theme of the piece.

Below is a picture of the memorial relief on the back of the structure. I darkened this up a bit in Photoshop so readers could see it. But just in case you can't read the text, here it is as I see it:

This lighthouse is erected by the Lake Carriers Association and citizens of Detroit to honor the memory of William Livingstone, President Lake Carriers Association 1902-1925, and throughout his active life one of the most prominent and public-spirited citizens of Detroit, 1844-1925.

At the top of the light, each section of vertical fluting is adorned by majestic soaring eagles.

The island is easy to get to from downtown Detroit off E. Jefferson Ave to E. Grand Blvd. which will take you over the short bridge to Belle Isle. For more travel instructions, visit the Friends of Belle Isle website linked below (under the map) or the official Belle Isle Park website. You can also call (313) 628-2081.

Sources consulted:

• Detroit Area Art Deco Society. William Livingstone Lighthouse, Albert Kahn, 1929.
• William Livingstone. MarineLink.com, 1996-2011.