Lamar,
According to Laurie Penrose in her Traveler's Guide to 100 Eastern Great Lakes Lighthouses, the Vermillion light was built with $55,000 in private funds raised by Ted Wakefield in the 1980's to "rebuild the light in exactly the same way as the original." The Lighthouse Service tore in down in 1929 when it was reported in need of repairs,

At least this "replica" is reputed to be an exact copy of the original. You know there are more and more lights that are being partially reconstructed to save them. Just think of this as a more complete reconstruction............

I finally got the current Lighthouse Depot catalog today, and it is a great picture.

Dave

The original light was built at the end of a wooden pier in 1877.