Death & Lighthouses on the Great Lakes: A History of Murder and Misfortune

by Dianna Higgs Stampfler

The author of Michigan's Haunted Lighthouses shares tales of disaster and misfortune on the Great Lakes.



Losing one's life while tending to a Great Lakes lighthouse sadly wasn't such an unusual occurrence. Death by murder, suicide or other tragic causes--while rare--were not unheard of. Two keepers on Lake Superior's Grand Island disappeared one early summer day in 1908, their decomposed remains found weeks later. A newly hired and some say depressed keeper on Pilot Island in Wisconsin's Door County slit his own throat after a consultation with a local butcher about the location of the jugular vein. A smallpox outbreak in the late 1890s led to the tragic death of a lighthouse hired hand on South Bass Island in Lake Erie.


Join author Dianna Stampfler as she uncovers the facts (and debunks some fiction) behind some of the Great Lakes' darkest lighthouse tales.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

179 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 21, 2022

Reviews

[Iris Maturen · Rating 1 out of 5]

too much detail about the dimensions of the lighthouses and the people that were tangentially involved in their construction and not enough murder

[Sue Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this book did talk about many who died at a lighthouse near the Great Lakes, it was not interesting. There was way too much information about the history of each lighthouse and about the families of the lighthouse keeper. Snippets of articles from the time of death were listed then repeated in the narrative of the book.

It would have been far more interesting if more information was given on the circumstances of the death. That would also have made the book more true to it's name "Death & Lighthouses..." At the end of the book, there was a list of other lives lost at lighthouse. Those stories were interesting but brief. It is a shame that the author couldn't have reached a happy medium between the tedious facts of the actual book and the brief summary of the other examples.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book satisfies my reading propensities on several fronts: it deals with the Great Lakes, lighthouses (because who doesn't find them mysterious and intriguing?), a bit of true crime (in spite of myself), and smatterings of family history. All of these the author combines readably. If you love the Great Lakes or anything about them, reading this is a good idea.

[Brandi Moriarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative

This was an interesting and fun book. I loved learning the history of the lighthouses and the people who ran them. Lots sacrificed so much to be a light keeper. Educational without being boring.

[Megh Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, extremely fascinating

[Teresa Brewen-White · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much description on cemetery placement, and unneeded info

[Marissa Dobulis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Less about murder and misfortune and more about families of lighthouse keepers

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is written in a way that just isn't that interesting to me.

[Sarah Lozeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! Lots of history and rereading it again! Bought the book. Wanting to explore these lighthouses