Happy Birthday Big Sable Point!
By Sue Clark on Oct 29, 2007 in News 
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Around 225 people made the mile and a half trek out to Big Sable Point Lighthouse in Ludington State Park, Michigan, to celebrate the beacon’s 140th birthday. Music for the event was provided by the howling wind and crash of Lake Michigan surf as the relighting ceremony was accompanied by events that included history presentations, fog signal displays, story telling, a dunes ecology walk, a photo seminar, slide shows and more.
Perhaps the ghosts of lightkeepers past were also in attendance, as the light blinked on prematurely during one the talk by one of the speakers, Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association Executive Director Craig Renny, who presented to the crowd the key volunteers who made the restoration a success. Appropriately enough, ghost tours were offered after dusk.
The light was lit originally on Novemmber 1, 1867, and the original third order Fresnel lens is now safely ensconced in the Mason County Historical Society’s White Pine Village Museum. According to the story in the Ludington Daily News, the museum is involved with the City of Ludington in an effort to gain control of the former U.S. Coast Guard Station Ludington for a maritime museum.
Scott Dice, Michigan Department of Natural Resources parks and recreation district manager, presented and read a proclamation from the Citizens Committee for Michigan State Parks. He also recalled a time decades ago when he was a ranger at Ludington State Park. He and other rangers would be sent to the lighthouse to repair windows broken by vandals or to shovel sand from a dune to the lakeward side of the lighthouse trying to keep Lake Michigan waves at bay.
Another speaker, Dr. Ronald Hutchinson of the Behavioral Research Institute, which started the entire rehabilitation and restoration efforts, spoke regarding the efforts, and the need to remain vigilant against Mother Nature.
The dedication and interest shown by people through the years cheers him, he said, but he also cautioned “Mother Nature will never give up. We are having a temporary lull.”He suggested more concrete work be done on the north side of the steel barrier wall in preparation for what he believes will be the eventual return of high water on Lake Michigan. “Now is the perfect time for that work,” he said.
The Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association offers two week stays at the lightkeeper’s restored residence to persons interested in interpreting the history of the light to visitors. More information can be found on their website www.bigsablelighthouse.org/
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