Whiskey Point was originally named for the 1838 fur trading post that operated on the point, and for the commodity that was the post's chief item of sale. Soon afterward in the 1850s, St. James's Harbor on Beaver Island became established as a safe haven in a storm (an event quite common on Lake Michigan). The light was thus a natural extension of the emergency usage. The original light was constructed in 1856, and the light currently in use was constructed in 1870.[6]
At this time, the harbor is used by the Beaver Island ferry, so the light is still an active aid to navigation.
U.S. Coast Guard Archive Photo
Station without Keeper's Quarters, U.S. Coast Guard Archive Photo