GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Thursday is National Lighthouse Day, meant to celebrate the historic structures that have helped sailors for centuries. Considering Michigan’s position among the Great Lakes, there are plenty of lighthouses to celebrate.

One of the first actions for the 1789 U.S. Congress was to regulate lighthouses. There were 12 at the time, but within 30 years, that number ballooned to 55.

Today, Michigan alone is home to 129 historic lighthouses that help monitor the state’s 3,200 miles of shoreline, many of which offer public tours.

Michigan’s oldest light is the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse in Port Huron. It was built in 1814 to monitor the juncture between Lake Huron and the St. Clair River during the War of 1812. Unlike most lights, the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse was supervi

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