Steven Elve

Michigan City Lighthouse Steven Elve

It was the year 1904, and the country was again ready to re-elect former "Rough Rider" Teddy Roosevelt to another four-year term in the White House. The Panama Canal was underway and the nation was growing, opening opportunities for those who would dare to dream and turn their hard work into reality. For Thomas J. Armstrong, it was a new position as head keeper of the Michigan City Light Station. This new title offers a glimpse into Michigan City maritime history, from the storm of 1913 that left the lighthouse practically buried in ice, to the capsizing of the Eastland on its way to Michigan City, one of the worst marine disasters in the history of the Great Lakes. The light would guide mariners until its relocation to the Michigan City Lighthouse Museum in 1980, where it is on display today. Michigan City Lighthouse is a collection of over 200 vintage photographs and postcards dated from 1909 through 1920, taken by lighthouse keepers Fred Dykeman, Thomas Martin, and Thomas Armstrong.