East of Gulliver, a road leads you down a point to this 1895 light, a worthwhile detour. Pronounced “sis SHWA” or “sel SHWA”—French for “Only Choice”—the Seul Choix Point Lighthouse (672 N. West Gulliver Lake Rd., 906/283-3183, www.greatlakelighthouse.com [1], 10 a.m.–6 p.m. daily Memorial Day–mid-Oct., donation suggested) sits at the end of a finger of land that once offered Native Americans and French fur traders the “only choice” for hiding from storms along this stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline.
The Gulliver Historical Society has done a splendid job of restoring the Seul Choix Point Lighthouse and creating a maritime museum in the fog signal building. (It includes an admirable scale model of the lighthouse, made by hand with thousands of miniature bricks.) Climb the tower for great views of much of northern Lake Michigan. You have a good chance of seeing ship traffic, since Port Inland, just to the east, is an important commercial port.
here’s also a chance that you’ll have an otherworldly experience while touring the site. Over the years, visitors and employees have reported odd occurrences at the lighthouse complex, such as phantom footsteps, unexplained smells (like cigar smoke), and misplaced items. Some believe that the spirit of a former lighthouse keeper is still in residence.
To reach Seul Choix, head to Gulliver via US-2. From there, go southeast on Country Road 432 about four miles. Turn right onto Country Road 431 (a gravel road) and travel another four miles to the light.
Links:
[1] http://www.greatlakelighthouse.com