Preservation Grants Awarded to Historic Michigan Lighthouses

Two Northern Michigan lighthouses are receiving $106,466 in total funds to support ongoing historic preservation initiatives

LANSING, Mich. – Preservation activities will continue at two historic Michigan lighthouses with the help of $106,466 in Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program (MLAP) grants from the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced today. Lighthouses receiving 2025 grant awards are the Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse on Lake Michigan and the remote Gull Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior, located off the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

“This year, SHPO is celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program and is proud of the important work that has been accomplished across the state to restore and repair these irreplaceable icons,” said State Historic Preservation Officer Ryan Schumaker. “SHPO is pleased to build on past preservation efforts by supporting these two lighthouses and their stewards in their continued efforts to invest in Michigan’s maritime heritage.”

The 2025 MLAP grant recipients are:

 

Charlevoix Historical Society

Site: Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse

Location: Charlevoix, MI

MLAP grant amount: $60,000

Match amount: $80,500

 

The Charlevoix Historical Society will hire a contractor to support ongoing preservation efforts by cleaning and painting portions of the exterior and interior of the Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse, built in 1948 and maintained through a partnership between the Charlevoix Historical Society and the City of Charlevoix, which owns the lighthouse.

“On behalf of the Charlevoix Historical Society, we are extremely grateful to the State Historic Preservation Office for the grant awarded through the MLAP program, and to all of those who participate in the ‘Save Our Lights’ license plate program,” said Denise Fate, President Emerita and Lighthouse Chair. “This important project will ensure the long-term stability and preservation of Charlevoix’s beloved South Pier Lighthouse, which plays a significant role in the City’s identity.”

 

Gull Rock Lightkeepers

Site: Gull Rock Lighthouse

Location: Keweenaw County, MI

MLAP grant amount: $46,466.67

Match amount: $23,233.33

 

The Gull Rock Lightkeepers will hire a contractor to clean and re-stain the cedar roof of the 1867 Gull Rock Lighthouse, which is undergoing restoration and maintained as an active aid to navigation. Funding will also be used to clean and repaint eaves and the exterior of the lantern room, deck, and railing, as well as install historically compatible doors at exterior entries. Located on its own small island east of the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, Gull Rock is one of the most remote lighthouses on the Great Lakes. The lighthouse was among the earliest to be automated in 1913 and it was never equipped with electricity, indoor plumbing, or phone service.

“The SHPO has been a critical partner in the ongoing restoration of the Gull Rock Lighthouse, both through its financial support via the Michigan Lighthouse Assistant Program as well as through the ongoing advice and technical expertise provided by its staff,” said David Younkman, Secretary for the Gull Rock Lightkeepers. “We greatly value our partnership and the historic results that we have and will continue to achieve together. Protecting and restoring these lighthouses is a wonderful reminder of the long and important history America has had with our Great Lakes.”

Funding for this grant program comes solely from the sale of specialty Save Our Lights license plates available from the Michigan Secretary of State. To date, the Michigan SHPO has awarded more than $2.9 million in matching funds to help rehabilitate and preserve dozens of lighthouses for tourists and residents alike to explore and appreciate. Learn more about lighthouse preservation in Michigan and order the plate for your vehicle.

“Because of the generosity of people who pay a little extra for a lighthouse license plate, we are able to award grants each year that help preserve these symbolic Michigan structures for the long term,” Schumaker said.

With more than 120 lighthouses standing sentinel along Michigan’s 3,200 miles of shoreline, Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state in the country. Established in 2000 when many lighthouses were transferred out of federal ownership, the MLAP is intended to help lighthouse stewards restore and repair their historic lighthouses, which in turn helps keep them open and an active part of local economies around the state as tourist and learning destinations. Applications for the next round of MLAP funding will be available in August 2025.

Many of Michigan’s lighthouses are open for tours in the warm weather season. Others are home to bed and breakfast lodging or museums. Many lighthouse beacons are still active aids to navigation, but the buildings themselves are owned and maintained by a nonprofit organization or local unit of government. A few are privately owned or in remote locations, inviting admiration from afar. Travelers interested in exploring Michigan’s lighthouses can learn more by visiting here. To watch a video exploring some of Michigan’s lighthouses, visit here.

About the State Historic Preservation Office
Focused on the historic preservation of culturally or archaeologically significant sites throughout the state, Michigan's State Historic Preservation Office’s main function is to provide technical assistance to local communities and property owners in their efforts to identify, evaluate, designate, interpret and protect Michigan’s historic above- and below-ground resources. SHPO also administers an incentives program that includes federal and state tax credits and pass-through grants available to certified local governments.

To learn more about the State Historic Preservation Office and the Save Our Lights license plate program, visit https://www.miplace.org/historic-preservation/.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.