Au Sable Lighthouse open for season

Article Photos

GRAND MARAIS - This summer, for the first time, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore has opened and staffed the Au Sable Light Station Museum and Information Center.

Park rangers said this has largely been accomplished through the efforts of volunteer lighthouse keepers who signed up for one month tours at Au Sable.

This month's keepers are Bill and Pat Costell from Florida.

The volunteers perform numerous duties each day as park rangers provide tours at the lighthouse, including opening facilities, assisting with the tours, staffing the museum and bookstore, grounds maintenance including pulling knapweed, an exotic species, and much more.

During July, volunteers and Heritage Education Park Ranger Karena Minor provided guided tours more than 1,200 visitors.

Bill and Pat Costell are native Michiganders who retired a few years ago to Bradenton, Fla.

They are lighthouse buffs, spending five summers volunteering at Big Sable Point Lighthouse near downstate Ludington. They have also volunteered at Dry Tortugas National Monument off the Florida coast.

"Volunteers are of tremendous assistance to our paid seasonal and permanent staff," said Gregg Bruff, chief of Heritage education. "They extend and greatly enhance the work of National Park Service rangers, interpreters, science and maintenance workers, and we truly appreciate their dedicated contributions."

Park rangers have added historic furnishings to the assistant keeper's quarters and the museum in the head keeper's quarters provides an interesting look at U.S. Lighthouse Service, commercial fishing, shipwreck, and lighthouse operation stories.

Pictured Rocks is partnering with Altran to offer a Saturday shuttle service from Hurricane River Campground 1.5 miles out the Au Sable.

On Saturday, Aug. 23, visitors can meet the Altran van at the lower Hurricane River Campground picnic area parking for a shuttle to the lighthouse. There is a fee of $5 for this service.

For more information on the lakeshore's lighthouse volunteers program, contact Gregg Bruff at 387-2607, ext. 208, or view information on-line at: www.nps.gov/piro/historyculture/ausablelightstation.htm