Coastal Services Center

For centuries, lighthouses have served as guideposts for mariners navigating through treacherous waters or setting a safe route of passage to their next destination. But as new technologies render some lighthouses obsolete, coastal resource managers may have to help chart a new course through the challenging political waters of multigovernmental jurisdiction, intense public interest, and various natural and historic resource issues to save these beacons of the past.

Over 120 lighthouses stand on Michigan's shores—more than any other state. Almost all of Michigan's lighthouses have historic or architectural significance and are listed in, or eligible for listing in, the National Register of Historic Places. They are found atop offshore shoals, reefs, or shallows; on islands; at harbor entrances; and on prominent points along the coastline.

By 2005, a total of 77 of Michigan's lighthouses are scheduled to be declared in excess of the federal government's needs, meaning that new stewards must be found for almost two-thirds of the state's lighthouses. About 40 of these are of particular concern to state coastal managers because they are located on state-owned bottomlands in difficult-to-access offshore areas, or on piers or breakwaters, says Catherine Cunningham, chief of the Michigan Coastal Management Program.

"Lighthouses are definitely one of our priority issues," Cunningham says. "We are primarily concerned about the lighthouses in difficult-to-access areas that don't have a community or group that is interested in taking care of them. The offshore lights are more difficult to place due to issues of accessibility, high maintenance costs, and potential constraints on future uses. We don't know who will eventually be responsible for the maintenance of these orphaned lights, and have the liability for visitor and boater safety. Some of these lighthouses are in isolated areas that are fraught with danger. They are not user-friendly facilities."

One of the challenges is finding capable stewards—either state or local governments, or nonprofit agencies—that have the necessary resources not only to perpetually maintain the property, but also to restore often dilapidated structures using appropriate preservation techniques. Other concerns are ensuring that the structures are developed in ways consistent with the public trust that allow for public access; addressing environmental concerns, such as erosion or threatened species; taking into account public concerns; and preserving the state's maritime history.

To address these issues, the Michigan Lighthouse Project was created by representatives from various federal and state governmental agencies, state and national preservation advocacy organizations, legislators, and other interested parties. Considered a model by the U.S. Coast Guard, the project assists potential lighthouse stewards by serving as a clearinghouse for information on the disposal and transfer process, current and pending legislation, and available resources. Since its establishment, 7 of the 77 lighthouses have been successfully transferred to new owners.

"The group has accomplished a great deal in the two years since its establishment," says Carrie Scupholm, Michigan Lighthouse Project manager. A steering committee made up of key players "meets monthly to receive direction, set priorities as a group, and solve problems concerning these lighthouse transfers. As a group, we've been able to move forward on a lot of issues." A larger planning committee meets quarterly and provides input to the steering committee.

Cunningham says the project was created when the Coast Guard began its efforts to declare the group of lighthouses in excess of its needs and ran into a myriad of state regulatory issues. "The state process was confusing to them. They didn't know who had the lead for making decisions in the state or who, exactly, they needed to talk to. From a state perspective, we had 77 lighthouses that were going to be declared surplus and we didn't know where they were going. There was no information coordination."

In the spring of 1998, the state Historic Preservation Office of the Michigan Historical Center and the Michigan Historic Preservation Network held a meeting and "brought in all the people who would have an interest in lighthouses. From that meeting they decided there was a core of about a dozen agencies that really had a role in their management and they formed a steering committee."

The group worked to garner grants and state appropriations to help fund a full-time staff position within the Michigan Historic Preservation Network to act as a liaison between the agencies, interested organizations, and the public.

It was the state's willingness to "put its money where its mouth was," that Cmdr. Bob Desh, assistant chief for the Aids to Navigation Branch of the Ninth Coast Guard District, says has made the Michigan Lighthouse Program stand out. "By securing the funding to hire a full-time person, they're providing one-stop shopping. There is one number you can call to find out anything you want to know about Michigan lighthouses, rather than having to go through a bureaucratic daisy chain. You are directed right to an individual, who if they don't have the information you need, will act as an honest broker and seek out the information for you."

Several state agencies, including the Coastal Management Program, also provide grants to assist local restoration and preservation efforts, and develop new uses for lighthouses. Workshops explaining issues such as historic preservation techniques and the federal disposal process are provided to staff of agencies or organizations interested in becoming stewards.

"I think the beauty of the Michigan Lighthouse Project is that you have all the partners around the table," Cunningham says. "They each have their own interests, which sometimes can be at odds, but they're still working together because it's an area of mutual interest. Coordinating our efforts saves a lot of time, running around, and paperwork."

Desh adds, "We think this is good government at its finest. Through the Michigan Lighthouse Project, we have been able to move forward on this issue and not spend unnecessary federal dollars, and accomplish what the public demands for the preservation of what I call America's castles. It has been a successful partnership."

For more information about the Michigan Lighthouse Project, contact Carrie Scupholm at (248) 625-3607 or carrie_scupholm@yahoo.com. You may also contact Catherine Cunningham at (517) 335-3456 or cunningc@state.mi.us, or Cmdr. Bob Desh at (216) 902-6065 or rdesh@d9.uscg.mil.