An iconic Michigan lighthouse will get restored, all thanks to license plates

The historic South Pier Inner Light in Grand Haven, Michigan, is set to receive significant restoration work thanks to a $60,000 grant from the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program (MLAP).

The grant, announced by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation, will enable the City of Grand Haven to undertake much-needed repair and renovation work on this important local landmark.

The MLAP grant will enable the City of Grand Haven to hire a contractor for rehabilitation works on the Inner Light. This will include repairing and repainting exterior and interior wall surfaces, fabricating and installing missing hatches, restoring the lantern door and lantern room interior elements, and refinishing stairs, handrails, and guardrails. This work aligns with needs identified in a 2015 historic structure report completed by the Grand Haven Lighthouse Conservancy in partnership with the City.

The South Pier Inner Light and the South Pier Entrance Light, which are under ongoing preservation efforts, are part of the range light system established in 1907. The lights, acquired by the City of Grand Haven in 2013 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2010, attract over a million visitors each year, contributing significantly to the region’s heritage tourism initiatives and economy.

The MLAP grant is funded 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 nearly $2.9 million in matching funds to help rehabilitate and preserve dozens of lighthouses.

Photo courtesy of MiPlace.

The Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program was established in 2000 and aims to help lighthouse stewards restore and repair historic lighthouses, which are active parts of local economies around the state as tourist and learning destinations.

Many of Michigan’s lighthouses are open for tours in the warm weather season. Others are home to bed and breakfast lodging or museums. While many lighthouse beacons are still active aids to navigation, the buildings themselves are owned and maintained by a nonprofit organization or local unit of government. Some are privately owned or in remote locations, inviting admiration from afar.

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This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

This story was generated in part by AI and edited by The ‘Gander staff.