I'm glad to see this article is stating possible ownership transference of Plum and Pilot Island. Plum is in pretty good shape exterior wise, but Pilot needs a lot of work. I flew over these lights in September in a 4-seat Cessna and you can really see the work needed to Pilot Island Light from the air.

For many years the house on Plum Island had a huge hole in the roof. I recently heard that the Door County Maritime Museum put a new roof on the house. I don't know how much damage there was to the interior before the hole was fixed. Last time I visited Plum Island the house was all boarded up and there were condemned signs on the building.

They are planning to turn Pilot Island into a bird sanctuary since the birds have already taken over the island.

Suzanne

There is a nice article in the October issue of Lighthouse Digest about Door County Island Lighthouses called "Islands at Death's Door".

Regarding Plum Island:

"Three years ago the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation named the Plum Island Light Station one of the state's Ten Most Endangered Historic Properties."

"The coast Guard put a new roof on the Plum Island keeper's house a couple of years ago, but some of the floors in the building have fallen through. The house and all the other structures are deteriorating fast."

Suzanne

That's too bad about Plum Island. I did notice it was boarded up but could not see condemned signs from the air (or the ferry). There sure were a lot of birds on Pilot!

Pilot Island has been taken over by cormorants. These birds are protected by law, so they cannot be removed from the island. The cormorants have distroyed the trees and vegetation on the island and have made a mess on the roof of the lighthouse building.

The Door County Maritime Museum wants to stabilize and restore the lighthouse buildings. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended no public access at Pilot Island because of the birds.