***EXCESSESSED GREAT LAKES LIGHTS!!!***

I received my "Beacon" in the mail from the great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association today, and they have the lists of the lights that have been excessessed by the United States Coast Guard to the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The list follows:

Excessessed Lights Sent to GSA

Fort Niagara, NY
Galloo Island, NY
Harbor Beach Light, MI
Michigan City East Pierhead Light, IN
North Point Light, WI
Round Island (crib), MI
Toledo Harbor, OH
Waugoshance Light, MI

Excessessed Lights Sent to BLM

Big Sable Point, MI
Cana Island, WI
Eagle Bluff Light, WI
Grand Traverse, MI
Gull Rock Island, MI
Isle Royale Light, MI
Little Sable Point, MI
Manitou Island, MI
Passage island, MI
Plum Island Light, WI
Point Betsie Light, MI
Pointe Aux Barques, MI
Poverty Island, MI
Rock of Ages, MI
Thunder Bay Island, MI

Hey Jake,

Is this move a good thing or bad for the mentioned lighthouses???

Donna

It's probably a good thing because it puts into motion a process for passing ownership to entities which can preserve them. At least, that's my understanding.

As John noted, probably not a bad thing. Several of the lights are already under the good care of someone. For example, Big Sable has an excellent Big Sable Lighthouse Keepers organization. Grand Traverse is an excellent museum and has (or had) a live in keeper. Little Sable is on Michigan park land. Pointe Aux Barques is a county park. Fort Niagra is a part of a park. There are others, I am sure, that are in good hands. A transfer of the property to another government agency or non-profit would allow for any needed work to potentially be done.

As it is now, some of the groups have leases from the CG to use the facility, but don't want to invest a bunch of money because they don't own the property. Once they own the property they may be better able to do the work. If anything, the CG would maintain control of the actual lens/light.

Some of the properties need to be transferred and put to use soon. One example is Point Betsie. The CG used the light as a housing unit for a CG family until just a few years ago when, as I recall, the boiler bit the dust. They didn't want to invest the bucks to fix it, so they closed it up. Now unoccupied it will be ripe picking for vandals and the environment itself. Get it into the hands of a group to maintain it and it can probably be rehabed for us to enjoy for years.

Dave

Eagle Bluff Light, WI is a museum in a State Park with a local historical society taking care of it. Cana Island, WI has been taken over by Door County and the Maritime Museum. I heard there is a group interested in restoring North Point, WI.