Vermilion Point and the Vermillion Life Saving Station

Vermilion Bunkhouse, photo by Odalaigh

The Little Traverse Conservancy says that the Vermilion Point Nature Preserve is a 175 acre tract on Whitefish Point (north of Paradise in Chippewa County) that features over 9000 feet of Lake Superior frontage:

This preserve is defined by the majesty and moods of Lake Superior and its remote location. It contains a wide sandy beach, low shore dunes, upland forest, old cranberry bog wetlands, and a stream. Ecologically, the land is known habitat for the federally endangered piping plover.

…Historically, this property and its associated buildings were a life saving station first built in 1847. Years of neglect and harsh Lake Superior weather have taken a toll on the buildings which are being restored. Researchers from Lake Superior State University, The Nature Conservancy, and Michigan Audubon use the property to study the piping plovers as well as other birds, and the wetlands.

Charles works for the Conservancy and has a ton of photos of their preserves everything from installing the new sign to these cool bird prints. He posts his photos in beautiful, background bigness – check out his Vermilion set and this slideshow of his vermilion tag.

Marty Hogan has some pictures from the Vermillion Life Saving Station, and more pics can be found at Vermilion Michigan and this photo map for the Whitefish Point area on Flickr.

If you’d like to go back in time, check out the Vermillion Life Saving Station courtesy Archives of Michigan Digital Collection…