Finalizing Phase I – Historic Structures Report

SONY DSCSouth Pier Entrance & Inner Lights

The Grand Haven Lighthouse Conservancy in partnership with the City of Grand Haven has finalized the HSR (Historic Structures Report) as of September 8, 2015.  The paid services were provided by Sanders & Czapski Associates, PLLC from Marquette, Michigan.

What is a HSR? A historic structure report provides documentary, graphic, and physical information about a property’s history and existing condition. Broadly recognized as an effective part of preservation planning, a historic structure report also addresses management or owner goals for the use or re-use of the property. It provides a thoughtfully considered argument for selecting the most appropriate approach to treatment, prior to the commencement of work, and outlines a scope of recommended work. The report serves as an important guide for all changes made to a historic property during a project-repair, rehabilitation, or restoration-and can also provide information for maintenance procedures. Finally, it records the findings of research and investigation, as well as the processes of physical work, for future researchers.

View the final HSR report here (136pgs) and the appendices here (138pgs).

An excerpt of the executive summary is below:

repair-architectEXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Historic Structures Report (HSR) is a planning tool used to document the history, current conditions and use, and guide the preservation of an historic site or building. The purpose of
this Historic Structures Report is to define the historic character of the Grand Haven South Pier Entrance Light and Inner Light located on the south pier at the mouth of the Grand River at Lake
Michigan in the City of Grand Haven, Michigan; document current existing conditions at this present date of time; and to guide the future use, restoration and rehabilitation of these structures.

The pier, owned and maintained by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and the elevated catwalk structure, owned and maintained by the City of Grand Haven, are not included in this report other than a general discussion as they relate to the significance of the lights.The City of Grand Haven increased in importance as a shipping port on Lake Michigan in the

1800s and in 1839 the United States Congress authorized the construction of the first lighthouse a short distance from the mouth of the Grand River. In subsequent years additional aids to navigation and piers extending from the north and south sides of the river were constructed to improve the safety of the harbor. The present day range light system took shape in the early 1900s with the extension of the south pier, the placement of a navigation light on the Fog Signal Building to serve as the Entrance Light, the construction and eventual relocation of the cylindrical tower to serve as the Inner Light, and construction of the elevated catwalk. This range light system allows for the proper alignment for vessels entering the Grand River channel and is one of only two remaining range light systems with a catwalk on the Great Lakes.
Click here to continue reading the summary.
Onsite material samples taken for historic structures report.

Onsite material samples taken for historic structures report.