Port Huron Gets Deed To Fort Gratiot Lighthouse
By Sue Clark on Feb 21, 2009 in News 
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Long Wait Still Not Over
The Port Huron (Michigan) Times Herald today published a story that the city has received the long awaited deed to the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, Michigan’s oldest. The light was excessed in 2004, and the city of Port Huron was chosen as the recipient, but it has been in limbo while waiting for the deed. In the meantime, the lighthouse has deteriorated to the point it had to be closed to the public last summerfor safety reasons. But don’t rejoice yet, the wait is still not over. It has to be aqpproved by the City Council, and that may take months as they ponder whether to accept it as is. If not, it will be revised by them and sent back to the Coast Guard for negotiation.
According to the City Engineer, Bob Clegg, the deed “contains more restrictions than they will probably agree to.” While it doesn’t specify in the article just what these extra restrictions are, there has been a lot of controversy in the paper online commenting in regards to the cost. Michigan is one of the hardest hit areas of the US in this economic downturn, and suggestions are being made to give the light back to the Coast Guard.
Council Members Not Very Excited
When Clegg made his presentation to the council, some members said they were not thrilled with the price tag and the work outlined on the seven total buildings. The total cost of the work needed on all is $3.83 million, which is more than the city, or the Port Huron Museum, has at this time, and has no plan to take on that kind of debt.
City Manager Bruce Brown said the deed calls for much more for restoration to the station’s outbuildings than city officials would like to do, which “is a rub, because we want to save the lighthouse.” Brown said the city’s main concern is: “How do we save the lighthouse before it falls down?”
Lack of Funding Hurting All Lighthouse Groups
Although last year two major lighthouse groups said their donations were staying even, as the global recession (depression) gets worse, the smaller groups that aren’t affiliated with any of the bigger organizations have to be hurting. And expecially in hard hit Michigan, with double digit unemployment.
The Museum did have some grants in place, but it’s unknown what their status is after waiting for so long for the deed. It’s hoped by Lighthouse News that the council realizes that all the work doesn’t have to be done immediately. It’s similar to triage…start treating the worst case first, in this instance the tower. The others can wait until the economy recovers. But to leave this historic lighthouse in limbo for any more time is unreasonable.
Port Huron: Accept the deed, let the Port Huron Museum get working on the grants and other fundraisers, and keep Michigan’s oldest lighthouse shining for generations.
Photo Credit: Fort Gratiot at Sunrise by mdprovost. Some Rights Reserved.
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