MHAL - Port Hope's Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse - Among the State's Earliest (original) (raw)

The Great Lakes State has 120 lighthouses, more than any other state, and the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse ranks among the 10 oldest in Michigan.

At noon on Sunday, Aug. 5, a Michigan Historical Marker will be dedicated at the lighthouse. Cindy Krueger, an employee of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL) and the great-great-great-granddaughter of light keepers Peter and Catherine Shook, will present the marker.

"This will be a special day in the history of Pointe aux Barques," said HAL director Dr. William Anderson. "A marker dedication for one of our foremost maritime resources is, in its own right, a cause for celebration. Having a descendent of the first light keepers present the marker to the citizens of Michigan makes the day that much more of a tribute."

The lighthouse is owned by Huron County, which is assisted by the nonprofit Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Society. Dr. Anderson said the Pointe aux Barques light came into operation during a pivotal time in Michigan's light-keeping history and that Mrs. Shook was a trailblazer in her own right, taking on the job that, to that point, had traditionally been done by a man. The Michigan Historical Marker reads in part:

"The Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse and Lifesaving Station aided mariners for over a century, beginning in 1847. That year the U.S. Lighthouse Service built the first lighthouse on this site to mark the turning point of Lake Huron into Saginaw Bay and to warn of shallow waters. Catherine Shook became Michigan's first female light keeper when she took over for her husband, Peter, after he drowned in 1849."

The State Historic Preservation Office, which administers the Michigan Historical Marker Program, awarded a 31,000MichiganLighthouseAssistanceGranttothecountyforahistoricstructuresreportandplansandspecificationsfortherestorationofthelighthouse.TheMichiganLighthouseAssistanceGrantisfundedthroughthesaleofthe"SaveourLights"specialtylicenseplates.Thecountyreceivedanadditional31,000 Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Grant to the county for a historic structures report and plans and specifications for the restoration of the lighthouse. The Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Grant is funded through the sale of the "Save our Lights" specialty license plates. The county received an additional 31,000MichiganLighthouseAssistanceGranttothecountyforahistoricstructuresreportandplansandspecificationsfortherestorationofthelighthouse.TheMichiganLighthouseAssistanceGrantisfundedthroughthesaleofthe"SaveourLights"specialtylicenseplates.Thecountyreceivedanadditional70,000 CMI (Clean Michigan Initiative) grant from the Department of Environmental Quality for restoration.

Since the Michigan Historical Marker Program began in 1955, the Michigan Historical Commission has placed more than 1,500 markers throughout the state. The markers are paid for with donations from sponsors who submit application packages to the State Historic Preservation Office. The Michigan Historical Commission determines the placement and wording of official state markers, which are the property of the State of Michigan. The Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse Society donated the $2,875 for the marker.

"Traveling Through Time: A Guide to Michigan's Historical Markers" (University of Michigan Press, 2005), provides full text and location of official state historical markers and is a valuable resource for in-state summer travel planning. It is available through local booksellers. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/shpo.

The State Historic Preservation Office is a division of the Michigan Historical Center, part of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan's heritage and fostering cultural creativity, the department also includes the Library of Michigan, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Michigan Film Office. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/hal.Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries.