by Terry_Pepper » Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:10 am
I am proud to report that GLLKA has been a strong collaborator in this initiative since the beginning, and we have pledged our complete support and assistance to the county in whatever manner may best suit their needs.
Over the past couple of weeks, we toured the building on a number of occasions with county representatives to obtain a good understanding of its current condition, and made a presentation on the structure’s history and possibilities to the Commissioners two days before their vote.
On finalization of the purchase, it is likely that a task force will be created to identify an appropriate long-term plan for the building and property, and GLLKA has been asked to serve as one component of that task force. As such, no firm plans have been identified, however I can say that installing a historic lantern replica and a possible relighting have all been discussed, and represent one of a number of exciting possibilities.
It is a rare and wonderful thing for one of these historic structures to come back into the public domain after over 100 years of private ownership, and the Emmet County Commissioners are to be lauded for both their sensitivity to history and their long-term thinking.
Is anyone aware of any other lighthouses which have been purchased out of private ownership by a municipality? I am not aware of any here in the Great Lakes, and would love to know of any.