Do you care about the preservation of Michigan's historic lighthouses? Here are some things you can do to make a difference.

Getting Started

Educate Yourself. Read about lighthouse history and preservation methods. Learn about laws and regulations governing the lighthouse disposal process and lighthouse ownership. Keep track of information you find in the newspaper, in magazines, or at workshops and conferences. Contact the Michigan Lighthouse Project to obtain information about the lighthouse transfer process, funding opportunities and more.

Visit Lighthouses. The best way to learn about Michigan's lighthouses is to actually see them. While you are there, offer a donation for lighthouse upkeep or for the small museums and historical societies housed in several of these landmarks.

Get Involved. Join a local nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the lighthouse of your choice. Ask how you can participate by donating your time, goods or money to the group. In addition, join national and statewide preservation advocacy groups such as the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association, the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, or the the National Trust for Historic Preservation to keep abreast of current issues related to lighthouse preservation. Attend their meetings and conferences and read their newsletters and other mailings. They can be reached at the following addresses:

Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association
206 Lake Street
P. O. Box 219
Mackinaw City, MI 49701
(231) 436-5580
(231) 436-5466 (fax)

E-mail: gllka@aol.com

 

Michigan Historic Preservation Network
107 E. Grand River Avenue
Lansing, MI 48906

(517) 371-8080
(517) 371-9090 (fax)

E-mail: info@mhpn.org

 

National Trust for Historic Preservation
1785 Massachusetts Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20036

Make Connections. Connect yourself with the people who have successfully restored lighthouses. Take note of their ideas and wisdom for your own projects.

Consider Your Skills. Everyone has skills they can contribute to the lighthouse preservation effort. Write letters, create a web site, raise money, prepare grant applications, help with carpentry or masonry work. Offer your skills to the lighthouse preservation organization of your choice.

Reach Out. Contact your legislators and make them aware of your interest in and concern for lighthouse preservation. Tell your government how important these structures are to you and it will look at them more closely.

Buy a Lighthouse License Plate. With its striking red-and-white stripes, the White Shoal Lighthouse is set against the blue waters of Lake Michigan to symbolize the need to preserve Michigan's lighthouses. The legend on the plate reads "SAVE OUR LIGHTS." A portion of the cost of this Michigan fund-raising license plate introduced in 2001 supports lighthouse preservation. See our flyer [PDF] or learn more and get the order form at the Michigan Department of State Web site.

Moving Forward

Create Community Commitments. Generate community involvement in lighthouse preservation. Establish a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the lighthouse of your choice, if no such organization exists. Contact the Michigan Lighthouse Project for guidance. Convince your local government (city, township, or county) to take ownership of a lighthouse through a Historic Monument Conveyance arranged by the General Services Administration and the National Park Service. These agencies can be reached at the following addresses:

United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Historic Surplus Property Program
Midwest Support Office
1709 Jackson Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68102-2571

 

United States General Services Administration
Property Disposal Division, 1 PRM-5
230 South Dearborn Street, Room 3756
Mail Stop 37-13
Chicago, IL 60604

Get the Word Out. Publicize your lighthouse preservation efforts. Tell your friends about the crisis facing Michigan's lighthouses. Contact the editor of your local or regional newspaper. If your community is ready to preserve a lighthouse, notify the Michigan Lighthouse Project. No one will know you're out there if you don't tell them.

Identify Needs. What needs to be done? Is your lighthouse in good or poor condition? Will it require stabilization? The Maritime Heritage Initiative of the National Park Service publishes the Historic Lighthouse Preservation Handbook. You can obtain a copy of this key resource by contacting the Government Printing Office at (202) 512-1800 (ask for stock number 024-005-01181-1). Once you have identified your needs, create a plan and a budget. Remember that plans for lighthouse rehabilitation should be developed with a qualified preservation consultant. A list of such consultants in Michigan is available from the State Historic Preservation Office at the address below.

State Historic Preservation Office
Michigan Historical Center
P.O. Box 30740
717 West Kalamazoo St.

Lansing, MI 48909-8240
(517) 373-1630

Document Your Lighthouse. Record the lighthouse of your choice for posterity through written histories, photographs, slides, film, or other means. Consider publishing your work. Offer your work to an archive or library so that others may access it. In addition, most historic lighthouses in Michigan are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. If your lighthouse is not currently listed, start the nomination process now. The State Historic Preservation Office can supply you with instructions and an application form for the National Register and guidelines for visual forms of recordation.

Find Help. Willing hands for your preservation projects are out there, if you look for them. Contact local youth groups, churches, senior centers, community centers, the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and civic organizations. Look to your community for people with the skills to help in specific areas of your preservation effort; they could be architects, attorneys, bankers, computer buffs, contractors or writers.

Finance Preservation Projects. If you want to help a lighthouse, you will have to sharpen your fundraising skills. Sponsor a fundraising event. Look for possible local, state, or national sources of funding as well as grants from private parties and foundations. The Michigan Lighthouse Project can inform you of the small number of preservation-related grants that may be available from various sources.

Restore and Reuse. Consider how you might use the lighthouse once it is restored. Some of these maritime landmarks have been converted into museums, informational centers and inns. The possibilities are endless. Remember, no matter what your ideas are, they must be compatible with federal and state laws.

Michigan Historical Center, Department of History, Arts and Libraries
Use and Reproduction Information [PDF]
Send comments about this page to preservation@michigan.gov.