Symbols of safety, reassurance, and guidance, lighthouses hold a special fascination for many people. On the Great Lakes, lighthouses-"northern lights"-helped to open the region to settlement and supported the growth of commercial trade. To this day, the continue to light the way for thousands of recreational boaters. In this definitive guide to the lighthouses of the Great Lakes, Charles Hyde describes the histories of more than one hundred and sixty individual lighthouses that still exist in Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan, and Superior, and the straits of Mackinac. Featuring more than two hundred color photographs, The Northern Lightscaptures the beauty, history, and significance of lighthouses on the Great Lakes, and illuminates the rich maritime history of the region.