MLAPgrants Blog

The Ft. Gratiot Light Station is currently undergoing several significant rehabilitation projects.  A new wood shingle roof was installed on the Equipment Building late last fall.  The new roof matches the roof specifications documented in original construction documents.  The masonry work on the tower has been completed.  Repainting of the tower will take place this spring.  Also repainting of the Fog Signal roof will take place in the spring.  Roofing work was partially funded by a MLAP grant. 

The Au Sable Light Station is a beautiful site on the shore of Lake Superior about 12 miles east of Grand Marais.  It is about a mile and a half walk to the light station from the visitor parking lot.  It is a pleasant walk and well worth it once you get to the light station.  I was here in late October and the NPS staff was just finishing up their work for the season and were getting ready to close the buildings.  One of their summer projects was the rehabilitation of the wood double hung windows. 

2011 MLAP Grant Awards

 In November 2011, $97,000 was awarded to lighthouses aroundMichigan.  A press release describing the awards is now available.

 Livingstone Lighthouse, Belle Isle, City of Detroit Recreation Department ($37,000)

The City of Detroit Recreation Department will rehabilitate the exterior of the Livingstone Lighthouse.  The work will include replacing sealant on the vertical and horizontal stone joints of the lighthouse tower, resetting stones around the tower base, replacing sealant at the base stone joints, and inspecting and repairing the lighthouse roof as needed.

Port Austin Reef Light, Port Austin Reef Light Association ($20,000)

The Port Austin Reef Light Association (PARLA) will hire a consultant to prepare a historic structures report for the Port Austin Reef Light.

Whitefish Point Lighthouse, Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society ($40,000)

The GLSHS will hire a contractor to professionally rehabilitate the remaining portion of the exterior of the light tower.  This is phase III in a series of MLAP grants awarded to GLSHS to complete the rehabilitation of the tower.

2011 FY11 Lighthouse Grants Press Release

Photographs are of the Grand Island Harbor Rear Range Light, just outside Christmas, Michigan, on a gray October morning. 

The Munising Range Light Keeper’s Quarters is currently undergoing a complete exterior rehabilitation.  This Project will return the exterior to its original appearance, including the front porch, the stucco and half timbering on the upper portion of the exterior walls and the pressed metal shingle roof.  The project also includes the reconstruction of the interior gutter at the front porch, and the unique, multi-paned double hung windows.  We look forward to seeing the finished project!

Photographs of Seul Choix Point Lighthouse taken on September 2, 2011.  The light tower was repainted this season.

Work is underway at the Whitefish Point light tower.  As part of the MLAP grant the skeletal tower is being repainted.  Photographs provided by Sean Ley.

These photographs were taken during a site visit to the Sand Point Lighthouse in Escanaba on September 2.  The site visit was attended by members of the Delta County Historical Society.  They are doing a great job at maintaining and rehabilitating the lighthouse and site.

This week the scaffolding went up and bricks were delivered for the masonry work at the Ft. Gratiot Light Tower.  This work is being partially funded by a Save America’s Treasures (SAT) grant.  This is critical work that is needed to stabilize and rehabilitate the tower.  Photographs were provided by Dennis Delor, St. Clair County.

These photographs are from a site visit to the Ludington North Breakwater Light on August 11.  Thanks to Bob Sperling of Sable Point Lighthouse Keeper’s Association (SPLKA) for the tour.  The light is maintained and operated by SPLKA.  Please visit their website for more information on visiting the light.  http://www.splka.org/