Visiting boaters had to literally shake their head in wonderment over the horrendous condition of the iconic St. Joseph North Pier Lighthouses over the past couple of years. Huge rusty blotches peppered the surface of the historic lights, the traditional bright red paint of the inner light had faded dramatically, and the lights were in serious danger of falling into further disrepair as the federal government elected to declare them as government surplus and of no redeeming value going forward.
Face with threatened abandonment, the lights instead garnered a new lease on life thanks to a dedicated group of citizens including the staff and city commission for the City of St. Joseph who collectively gave birth to the Lighthouse Forever Fund. Establishing a $2-million dollar goal to stabilize the lights and other infrastructure on the North Pier and further return them to their former glory, the campaign was on.
Tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, June 4, 2016, after years of hard work acquiring ownership of the St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights, followed by the tremendous efforts of that Lighthouse Forever Fund, which raised close to their goal of $2 million, and a little more than a year of restoring the iconic beacons to their 1932 beauty, it is now time to celebrate and enjoy them for generations to come.
A dedication ceremony will take place tomorrow at 3 pm in Tiscornia Park near the newly installed sidewalk located at the southwest edge of the parking lot where a donor memorial will be unveiled recognizing donors who gifted $500 and higher. Congressman Fred Upton, State Senator John Proos and State Representative Al Pscholka will be in attendance, along with representatives from the State Historic Preservation Office, Smay Trombley Architecture, Mihm Enterprises, and the Lighthouse Forever Fund committee.
Those who plan to attend the event tomorrow are being asked to use the clearly marked Whirlpool parking lot on Upton Drive, between the railroad tracks and Marina Drive, where shuttle service will be provided to and from Tiscornia Park from 12:30pm until 5:00pm tomorrow. Marina Drive will not be accessible for attendees due to limited parking at Tiscornia Park.
The City of St. Joseph is also encouraging you to look for information being released early next week by the Heritage Museum & Cultural Center as they announce their summer schedule for historical tours of the Inner and Outer Lights.
