[6][8][9] It was deemed necessary because the island is a significant hazard to navigation in the straits, and was seen as an effective complement to the other lights in the area.

[10] Because of its color scheme and form — red stone base and wood tower — it has been likened to an old-fashioned schoolhouse.

[11] Ferries regularly pass it on their way to (and from) Mackinac Island, and it is a recognizable icon of the upper Great Lakes.

[6] Located in Coast Guard District 9,[12] the Round Island Light was built of painted brick in 1895;[13] its construction was funded by a predecessor agency of the United States Coast Guard, and the structure was raised b6 a team led by Mackinac Island mason-carpenter Frank Rounds.

The following year, after it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, local fundraising efforts collected $12,000 for the project.

[22] As a result of the success of this restoration work, the Coast Guard granted permission to relight the Round Island Light.

The lighthouse serves as a sentinel for the past, reminding visitors of the often precarious sailing and rich history of the Straits of Mackinac.

Short of that, Sheplers Ferry Service out of Mackinaw City offers periodic lighthouse cruises in the summer season.

[40][16] A children's book written by Robert A. Lytle and Karen Howell is titled Mackinac Passage: Mystery at Round Island Light.