Lighthouse keepers receive grants to restore doors, display photos.

November 14, 2018

Lighthouse keepers receive grants to restore doors, display photos.

The Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association has been award four grants for its upcoming winter projects. Grants have been received from the Community Foundation for Mason County, the Maclean Family Fund and the Great Lakes Energy People’s Fund for the restoration of 40 interior and exterior doors, which are located in the keeper’s quarters at the Big Sable Lighthouse, located in Ludington State Park.

“This is a $20,000.00 project to bring back the doors to the luster that they had when they were first installed,” said Peter Manting, executive director of SPLKA. “Doors at Big Sable will be taken down and stripped of several layers of paint that have been applied over the years. The doors will then be repaired and refinished and rehung. This project shows SPLKA’s continued commitment to the restoration of the Big Sable Lighthouse.

“The grant money covers a quarter of the costs of this wonderful project. SPLKA capital campaign money in the amount of $5,000 has been allocated by the SPLKA Board of Directors to help fund this project as well. We wanted to get the project underway just after our 2018 season closing. We are looking for SPLKA members and community partners to step up and help us fund the balance of this project so that it can be completed by our opening next May.”

The Oceana Youth Fund and the Little Point Sable –Arts for Oceania County Fund from the Community Foundation for Oceana County has also awarded SPLKA a grant of $750 that will help finance new historical picture displays which will greet visitors to the Little Sable Lighthouse, located in Silver Lake State Park, next season. D

“SPLKA had commissioned a historical structures report for the Little Sable Lighthouse in 2015. The report contained several photographs from the National Archives that we wanted to share with the public. The images will be transferred over to metal, similar to the ones now hanging in the Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse.  We will also be sharing some of the shipwreck stories and images of the mishaps that took place around the Little Sable Light. The new displays will add to the visitor experience at Little Sable Lighthouse.”

Contributions to the two above projects can be sent to SPLKA at 905 E Ludington Avenue, Ludington MI 49431, or donations are also accepted on or web site at www.splka.org.