Transfer of Holland Harbor and Charlevoix Pierhead lights

[Terry_Pepper]

On behalf of the Michigan Lighthouse Alliance, I was honored to serve on the organizing committee which planned and served as hosts for a very successful conference of Great Lakes lighthouse stewards and stakeholders in Traverse City last week.

At the reception in the evening of the final day, after pre-recorded messages of congratulation from Senators Levin and Stabinow, a representative of the General Services Administration officially passed the deeds of two lighthouses to their new owner/stewards.

The Charlevoix South Pierhead light was transferred to the city of Charlevoix, with plans in place and work already underway to restore the lighthouse through a cooperative effort between the City and the Charlevoix Historical Society.

The Holland Harbor lighthouse (AKA “Big Red”) was officially transferred to the Holland Harbor Lighthouse Historical Commission. Over a number of years, and largely out of the eyes of the general public, the Commission has already undertaken a complete top to bottom restoration of this lighthouse. While some potentially dangerous access limitations within the lighthouse will likely preclude opening the entire building to the public, the Commission has plans to provide some innovative methods through which visitors will be eventually be able to experience the entire building.

[mikev]

Having attended that conference, I can tell you all that Terry did an absolutely outstanding job of putting together a technical program for Michigan lighthouse preservation groups. While the annual ALCC executive committee meeting was only a small part of it, most of us from other parts of the country also attended the Michigan Lighthouse Alliance sessions and learned a lot, too.

I'll confess my wife Stacey and I went AWOL the last afternoon to revisit Mackinaw City, take a look at Terry's lighthouse project in Cheboygan and then drop back down the northwest shore. We lingered too long to make the lighthouse transfer ceremony, but we did the next best thing -- we spent some time at the Charlevoix lighthouse at the exact time it was being transferred, taking a few photos. There was only a vacationing family and a couple of fishermen out there with us, and I don't think they noticed me giving the lighthouse a congratulatory pat for a job well done in government service.

[Terry_Pepper]

Mike - thank you for the kind words.

What better way to spend a couple of days than meeting up with old friends, making new acquaintances and contacts and learning about lighthouse preservation in the process!

[NoahG]

That is really happy and exciting news. Now if we can just get Fort Gratiot to transfer.

[Hersh]

Sorry I missed the conference. I was scheduled to speak on behalf of the DeTour Reef Light preservation society but I had to cancel to attend a 2 week FBI training course.

Congratulations to Terry for setting up a winner of a conference!