Lighthouse Preservation Projects to Receive Funding From Sale of "Save our Lights" License Plates

LANSING, MI--Nov. 14, 2011: State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway announced that the awarding of three Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program grants. The grants are funded through the sale of the "Save our Lights" license plates for 2011.

The Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program is funded by proceeds from the sale of the "Save our Lights" license plate. Lighthouse grants are given to state and local governments or nonprofit organizations that are maintaining or rehabilitating a lighthouse.  Recipients must provide 50 percent of the grant award as matching funds. The State Historic Preservation Office administers the program.

"In addition to having more lighthouses than any other state, Michigan has a lot of lighthouse enthusiasts," said Conway. "Since 2000 the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program has awarded nearly $1.5 million in grants to rehabilitate lighthouses along our shorelines and in remote offshore locations. These historic and picturesque structures symbolize the Great Lake State and are a significant tourism destination. Their preservation is vital to Michigan's economic future."

The Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program was established to assist in the preservation, rehabilitation, and protection of lighthouses in Michigan.  The program arose from a concern about the disposal of over 70 lighthouses in Michigan by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Fiscal Year 2011 Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program (MLAP) grant recipients include the following projects.

Name of Recipient: City of Detroit Recreation Department
Name of Lighthouse: Livingstone Light
Location of Lighthouse: Wayne County
Location of Nearest City: Detroit
Award Amount:  $37,000
Use of Funds: Exterior rehabilitation of the light tower and interior rehabilitation of the lantern room

Name of Recipient: Port Austin Reef Light Association
Name of Lighthouse: Port Austin Reef Light 
Location of Lighthouse: Huron County
Location of Nearest City: Port Austin
Award Amount: $20,000
Use of Funds: Hire a consultant to prepare a Historic Structures Report for the Port Austin Reef Light

Name of Recipient: Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society
Name of Lighthouse: Whitefish Point Light Tower
Location of Lighthouse: Chippewa County
Location of Nearest City: Whitefish Point
Award Amount: $40,000
Use of Funds: Phase III:  Strip, prime and paint the middle exterior portion of the White Fish Point Light Tower

You can support the preservation of Michigan's lighthouses by purchasing a "Save Our Lights" license plate through the Secretary of State.

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is financed in part by a grant from the National Park Service, Department of Interior. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of the Interior. The Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on its federally funded assistance programs.  If you believe you've been discriminated against please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C. St. NW, Washington DC 20240.

The SHPO is part of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), which provides financial and technical assistance through public and private partnerships to create and preserve decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents and to engage in community economic development activities to revitalize urban and rural communities.*

*MSHDA's loans and operating expenses are financed through the sale of tax-exempt and taxable bonds as well as notes to private investors, not from state tax revenues. Proceeds are loaned at below-market interest rates to developers of rental housing, and help fund mortgages and home improvement loans. MSHDA also administers several federal housing programs.