1892 – Two skeleton iron towers were purchased, one for Winter Point and the other for Pilot Island. Work was begun on Pilot Island Range on June 11 and finished June 23. The rear light consists of a skeleton iron tower 36 feet high, triangular in plan, similar in construction to that at Winter Point, erected on a cluster, of 49 piles. A lamp house, 6 ½ feet square and 7 ½ feet high, was erected at the base of the tower. The front range was erected on Pilot Island and consists of a post 12 inches square by 30 feet high, with a house 8 by 12 feet in plan and 10 feet high, which is provided with a door and two windows, and inside with a bunk, and fitted with cleaning and storage shelves. A plank walk was laid from the door to the water’s edge.

1895 – Pilot Island range, St. Marys River, Michigan.—These ranges were established and the lights were shown on October 15, 1894, for the first time. Material was purchased for a watch room and was delivered at Pilot Island by the Amaranth.

1896 – Pilot Island Range, St. Marys River, Michigan.—The front range was moved about 500 feet to the eastward of its former position. The rear range was also moved about 500 feet to the eastward of its former position, and reestablished about 500 feet in rear of the front range. A watch room and 215 feet of walk and landing were built. On June 4, 1896, the color of these was changed from red to white.

1899 – Pilot Island range, St. Marys River, Michigan.—An extension was added to the existing dwelling, forming a bedroom and a living room. Various repairs were made.

1903 – Pilot Island range, St. Marys River, Michigan.—These beacons as at present located are entirely insufficient as day marks, and as the range is more than 6 miles long, good targets are necessary to answer the purpose. The intensity of the lights should also be increased by substituting lenses of the fourth order for the lens-lanterns now in service. To effect this change and to reestablish the range in a position more advantageous to navigation, a new site on which to locate the front light of the range and to provide new structures for the beacons was practically completed. Estimates were made for constructing the new beacons and remodeling the keeper’s dwelling. Various repairs were made.

1904 – Pilot Island range, St. Marys River, Michigan.—A site for the front range and dwelling was bought and the deed was recorded. The materials were purchased for the beacons and for remodeling and repairing the keepers dwelling, and, with a working party, were landed at the station. The building is well under way; the structure is inclosed and the plastering commenced. The site for the front light and keeper’s dwelling of the Pilot Island range was purchased and the deed was duly recorded.

1905 – Pilot Island range, St. Marys River, Michigan—The old frame structure occupied by the keeper as a dwelling was remodeled and repaired. The beacons of the range were rebuilt and were reestablished in new positions. The front beacon is located on the westerly side of the island and is an octagonal, pyramidal frame tower, 34 feet from base to focal plane. The rear beacon is built upon a foundation crib located in the water about 1,900 feet in rear or the front beacon, and is an octagonal, pyramidal frame tower, 52 feet from base to focal plane. Both towers are painted white. The new fixed white reflector lights were, on June 30, 1905, shown from the new towers.

1907 – Pilot Island Range, St. Marys River, Michigan.—About 420 feet of the stone dike leading from the shore to the front is being built.

1918 – Pilot Island Range Lights, St. Mary’s River. The characteristic of Pilot Island Range Lights was changed on October 31, 1918, to show as follows: Front Light, flashing white every second, flash 0.3 second duration. Rear Light, occulting white every 2 seconds, light 1 second, eclipse 1 second.

Keepers: George Griffin (1902 – 1906), Wilder D. Lemon (1906 – 1907), William Pottinger (1907 – at least 1917).

No lights exist at this location today, but an oil house from the station survives.

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