Old Harbor, Lighthouse, First Tavern

Location: The Ox-Bow Lagoon, Saugatuck
Date: 1859

The first lighthouse along with a warehouse, tavern, and wharf was established here beginning in 1834 by Steven D. Nichols, merchant and first lighthouse keeper (1839-1844). Moses Nichols who was described as “a tavern keeper and vendor of ardent spirits” kept the saloon. On the south side of the harbor was a warehouse operated by William Butler, the first settler, and a two-story warehouse owned by H. H. Comstock.

Replacing the 1834 lighthouse, the lighthouse of 1859 was destroyed by a tornado in 1956. Nearly 50 feet in height and sitting on the tallest dune at the mouth of the Kalamazoo River, it was one of the most important structures in the early life of western Allegan County. This lighthouse of 1859 was considered of such strong construction to last for hundreds of years. It was 25 feet x 40 feet in dimension, with a wing to the rear and a 15 foot tower atop the roof at the front. It sat on 12 inch x 12 inch timber beams and iron plates that, in turn, were connected to iron pilings sunk into piles of stone. The walls were nearly 9 inches thick. It had ten rooms and was originally intended for two families. An addition, including a porch, was built in 1888. The wide board siding was replaced with sawn shingles in 1898. The last lighthouse keeper ended his service in 1914. Within this “Lighthouse Reservation” were a tool house, boathouse, barn, and an area for raising livestock. After its destruction, its owner, Arthur F. Deam, used salvaged materials from the site to build a new “lighthouse cottage” on the exact site. It remains a private cottage. The Deam family is part of the nearby Ox-Bow art community and hence the “lighthouse cottage” became a part of Ox-Bow life.