The North Manitou Lighthouse has been sold for $73,000 through a government auction.

The property is located eight miles west offshore from Leland Harbor in Lake Michigan. Constructed in 1935, the two-story base was previously used as a Coast Guard living quarters. A three-story square steel tower atop the base features an automated light, sealed portholes and hatches inside the lighthouse, and a below-grade basement area. The property is "an active aid to navigation and contains a fog horn signal," according to auction documents. The light may "contain absestos and lead-based paint."

The property is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The state of Michigan required nonprofit status from bidders in order to be eligible to purchase the property. Four bidders competed for the lighthouse in an online auction, with the $73,000 winning bid going to North Manitou Light Keepers. While the organization has a newly created Facebook page, it has not yet posted it plans for the property.