Michigan’s Remote Islands: Poverty & St. Martin

If you seek adventurous inner state trips, this would be one to take: a journey to two of our little-visited islands, Poverty Island and St. Martin Island.

POVERTY ISLAND
Thanks to the shallow water near the southern tip of Poverty Island, construction of a lighthouse began in 1873 to help ships transport ore on their way to Escanaba. However, a fire destroyed some of the construction material and completion was pushed back to 1874. By 1875, a permanent light was installed and operating by August of that year.

In 1957, the light became automated, which meant no more need for a lighthouse keeper. The buildings became abandoned and the light was finally deactivated in 1976. It still stands deserted, and has been listed as "America's Most Endangered Lighthouse".

ST. MARTIN ISLAND
Following the Poverty island lighthouse, one was built on nearby St. Martin Island in 1905.

Only one person has visited the island by plane: Robert W. Warner in the early 1950s. Nobody else has had either the courage, curiosity, or inclination to do it again.

There was a lame attempt to turn the island into a resort in the 1980's, but the rocky, remote island made this too difficult to accomplish. These days, the island is owned by the Green Bay Nat'l Wildlife Refuge.

The pictures below show you what you can expect if you take a boat to one or both of the islands...it's remote for sure, but historical, rustic, and awe-inspiring.

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