Charity Island Lighthouse Restoration

08/24/2026

08/24/2026

20+ mph winds, whitecaps rolling across Saginaw Bay, and another beautiful evening on Charity Island.

Even on the windiest days, Charity Island has a way of showing off. As the waves rolled in, the sky lit up in shades of orange, pink and gold, creating another one of those sunsets that never seem to get old.

Between the wild shoreline, the natural beauty of the island, and the historic Charity Island Lighthouse standing watch over it all, this is a place truly worth preserving.

Another beautiful sunset on Charity Island and another reminder of why this island and its lighthouse are so special.

08/23/2026

There’s a quiet kind of beauty on Charity Island.

Surrounded by the waters of Saginaw Bay, the island offers a landscape that feels peaceful, untouched, and far removed from the rush of everyday life. The sound of the water, an endless horizon, and the changing sky make it a place where you can simply slow down and take it all in.

This serene landscape is part of what makes Charity Island so special, and part of what we hope to protect for generations to come.

By supporting the restoration of Charity Island, you’re helping preserve not only an important piece of Michigan history, but a truly remarkable place.

08/23/2026

Rainy skies, golden light, and a historic lighthouse standing watch over Saginaw Bay. 🌧️🌅

Charity Island’s beauty shines in every season—and every follow, share, visit, and donation helps preserve its story for generations to come. ❤️

08/23/2026

Even on a rainy day, Charity Island has a way of showing off its beauty.

Storm clouds over Saginaw Bay, a break in the sky at sunset, and the historic lighthouse standing watch over it all. Days like this are a reminder of just how special this island is, and why it is worth preserving for generations to come.

Every visit tells a little more of Charity Island’s story. And every person who follows, shares, visits, or supports the restoration helps us continue writing its next chapter.

If you love Michigan history, lighthouses, or simply beautiful places worth saving, please help us spread the word about Charity Island and the work being done to preserve it. ❤️

07/21/2026

Charity Island History Is Mysterious and Remote

The Charity Island History spans 100's of years. Today the island is a wildlife sanctuary and visited by only a few people each year. We cover a bit of this mysterious remote island located in the middle of busy Saginaw Bay.

https://thumbwind.com/2021/06/11/charity-island-history/?fsp_sid=35040

03/03/2026

Charity Island one of the few spots that you can spot a Pitcher’s thistle (Cirsium pitcheri).

The Pitcher’s thistle is one of many rare and declining species inhabiting dunes of the Great Lakes region.

This distinctive dune plant, often referred to as the dune thistle, was first noted by Dr. Zina Pitcher about 1827 at the Grand Sable Dunes of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Pitcher’s thistle is a monocarpic (flowers and sets seed only once), perennial, herbaceous plant, generally flowering after a 5-8 year juvenile stage. The stems and leaves of juveniles and adults are woolly-white, and the leaves are deeply pinnatifid with the lobes less than 1 centimeter (cm) wide and up to 4 cm long.

A big thank you to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for your continued attention to saving this endangered plant.

Learn more: https://www.fws.gov/species/pitchers-thistle-cirsium-pitcheri

03/01/2026

Dreaming of summer on Charity Island ☀️

📸: twilber3n3 - Thank you!

02/28/2026

Always love seeing the.airborne.angler’s photos of Charity Island!!

02/26/2026

Big Charity Island is more than a landmark in Saginaw Bay. It is critical habitat.

Coastal dunes stabilize shoreline erosion. Native plant systems support migratory birds. Rare species like Pitcher’s thistle continue to survive here against long odds.

In a region shaped by water level shifts and invasive pressure, the island remains one of the few places where Lake Huron’s coastal ecosystem still functions the way it was meant to.




https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/helping-restore-habitat-and-protect-native-plants-and-animals-on-michigan-island