The Saginaw River Rear Range Lighthouse is a historic structure built in 1874 that has been abandoned since 1980. Preservation of Michigan Lighthouses is Goal of New Federal Initiative
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The Saginaw River Rear Range Lighthouse, and the Tawas Point and Harbor Beach lighthouses may benefit from a bill passed recently by Congress to promote Michigan's lighthouses.
The bill creates partnerships to restore the shoreline beacons and promote maritime culture.
The Saginaw River lighthouse, built in 1874, is owned by the Dow Chemical Co. which is partnering with the Saginaw River Marine Historical Society to preserve the historic structure.
Michigan has 120 lighthouses, more than any other state. All have historic or architectural significance and are either listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
"Many Michigan lighthouses are in a state of disrepair and in danger of disintegrating, although they stand witness to the great age of the lighthouse keepers and their isolated lives struggling to keep the shipping lanes of the Great Lakes safe," said Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
Groups endeavoring to save this integral part of the state's history have restored some of Michigan's lighthouses. Several of these lighthouses now house museums and are open to the public.
Lighthouses in the United States were established as early as 1789 by the Lighthouse Establishment and as recently as World War II by the U. S. Coast Guard. Some Michigan lighthouses are on the mainland; some stand on remote islands or isolated shoals and reefs miles offshore.
The bill creates federal, state and local partnerships to restore the lighthouses and promote maritime culture in the region. These lighthouses are important reminders of the state's maritime prominence," said Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, who sponsored the House bill. It was approved on a voice vote.
The legislation was written by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, and passed the Senate earlier in the year. It requires the Interior Department to study ways to protect Michigan's lighthouses and boost tourism, including the creation of a Michigan Lighthouse Trail. Stabenow said the "new law will strengthen communities throughout Michigan by preserving our rich history and creating jobs for our future."
The agency is directed to identify funding sources for Michigan communities to preserve and restore their lighthouses. Funding levels would be approved through the appropriations process.
The bill next moves to President Bush for his signature.
Tawny Ryan Nelb, Midland archival consultant, a presenter at the recent Michigan History Conference in Bay City, said:
"Michigan has a tremendous diversity of terrain, livelihoods, and lifestyles. That diversity is reflected in the state's architectural heritage.
"The architecture of transportation and navigation aids, which were critical to the development of Michigan, given that the state is surrounded by Lakes Superior, Huron, and Michigan, is represented by the lighthouses that were built to avert shipwrecks and by the Life Saving Stations that provided assistance to mariners when disasters did in fact take place.###
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