Here you can see the exercise path on the far right of the photo. And, yes, that is Chicago’s skyline in the distance...looks closer, but it’s about 15 miles away.

This section of shoreline is really a wide sandbar that separates the lake from the Northwestern lagoon. Near this spot is the inlet that allows the lake water to enter and fill the lagoon...

...the water lazily flows from the north end of the lagoon to its southern extremity...

...and empties over a spillway to reenter the lake once again.

Back on the extreme north end of the campus, in fact, just a little beyond it, stands the Grosse Point Light. Most of the construction was completed by June of 1873, although the lamp would not be lit until March 1874, when the lighthouse commenced operation.

The United States government agreed to construct the lighthouse at Grosse Point after several maritime disasters near the area showed the need for it.

Shoals were a real hazard, and ship traffic was increasing concurrent with development in the Midwest, the growth of Chicago, the aftermath of the Chicago Fire, and the increased trade throughout the Great Lakes. Particularly influential was the 1860 sinking of the Lady Elgin off Highwood, just 7 or 8 miles north of this location, a disaster which claimed around 300 lives.