 THE
MICHIGAN LIGHTHOUSE FUND As
a result of the work done by the Lighthouse Project, local community
groups all over the state are preparing
themselves
for ownership of a historic light. None of these structures
is a turn-key facility. Each light has suffered from neglect
and even abuse over the last four decades, as the lights have
been automated and the buildings abandoned.
These architectural
wonders once served as crucial beacons to Great Lakes shipping,
but now they have yielded to the advance
of technology. The era of global positioning has made the dramatic
light of the Fresnel lens unnecessary as a navigational aid to
the shipping industry. Simple metal poles supporting computerized
instruments have now replaced the brick and steel towers with
their keeper’s dwellings and fog signal buildings.
And yet the historic structures bear witness to the rich maritime
history of the State. Their presence still commands awe from
those who catch sight of them. They testify to the great age
of the light keepers and their isolated lives, as they struggled
to keep the shipping lanes of the Lakes safe. A few of them are
being restored by dedicated volunteer groups, who endeavor to
save this vital part of the State’s history. Many more
lighthouses, however, are slowly collapsing, leaving mere fragments
of their history to tell the tale. Soon they will certainly vanish
from the landscape, to exist only in fading photographs and dusty
log books, or in our own misty memories.
The Michigan Lighthouse Fund was formed to make sure this does
not happen. By creating a substantial fund which can generate
grants and loans to these groups, the Fund will be helping to
ensure that these uncomplaining watchtowers get the help they
need to stand for centuries more.
To do that, we need your help. Think of lighthouses you have
seen in Michigan, remember their stark beauty, picture the service
they gave to travelers on our waters. Then, send a contribution
to the Michigan Lighthouse Fund. The money will be used to repair
and restore lights all over Michigan and its waters. And knowing
you care will enable the working groups to continue their labor,
caring for these timeless sentinels we all know and love.
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First lighthouse to use electricity - Statue of Liberty (1886)
Tallest Lighthouse - Cape Hatteras, NC (191 ft)
Newest Shoreside Lighthouse - Charleston, SC (1962)
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