The finish line is in sight for those who have spent several years rehabbing an iconic structure in one of Michigan’s most legendary waterways.

The North Manitou Light Keepers (NMLK) recently announced the final phase of their work to restore the North Manitou Shoal Light, commonly known as the crib. The crib sits in the Manitou Passage between the Manitou Islands and mainland Leelanau County.

NMLK, a nonprofit, acquired the lighthouse at auction from the federal government in 2017 and has since spent thousands of hours and more than $1 million renovating the structure. The 75-foot lighthouse was built in 1935 and manned for many years before being automated in 1980.

The group has raised about $175,000 of an expected $300,000 price tag for the third and final phase of the work, which will primarily focus on the interior of the crib. Previous phases involved substantial work to stabilize, clean and restore the exterior, which was in considerable disrepair and covered in so much bird feces you could smell it a half mile away if the wind blew right.

The end goal is a lighthouse open to the public for overnight stays, day trips and more. Among the biggest remaining tasks is the installation of updated electrical and plumbing systems to support extended public visitation.

After years of working in an isolated location in often difficult conditions, the NMLK team – founded by four Michigan families – is thrilled to enter the final phase of the project.

“It’s super exciting to be as close as we are to completing the restoration, and part of that excitement is being able to define what that finish line is,” NMLK President Daniel Oginsky tells The Ticker. “There was no playbook for what we were doing, and to some extent we were figuring it out as we went along.”

The crew started the project with “unbridled enthusiasm,” Oginsky says, but it wasn’t always easy and came with a few slivers of doubt as costs and work piled up. But the community buoyed them in their efforts.

“There definitely were some moments along the way where we wondered what we were doing here – is it smart to preserve a lighthouse that’s eight miles offshore?” Oginsky says. “But we’ve heard so many stories from people about how much love there is for the lighthouse, and that’s sustained us.”

Hundreds of people have donated to NMLK as the work has continued, turning the project into a true community effort.

“The crib is this physical structure out in the water, and people appreciate and love lighthouses, but in a larger sense this has been an opportunity for us and other people to work on something together,” Oginsky says. “What’s made this process really fun is the shared experience of everyone who’s come on the adventure with us.”

Oginsky and his wife Anna have personally contributed about $500,000 to the effort since its inception.

NMLK is looking for sponsors to get to their fundraising goal. Sponsorship opportunities include:

·        Electrical system: $75,000

·        Plumbing system: $75,000

·        Lantern House Sponsor: $7,500 (3 remaining)

·        Window Sponsor: $5,000 (4 remaining)

·        Kitchen Cabinets and Fixtures: $10,000

·        Kitchen Appliances: $5,000

·        Bathroom Cabinets and Fixtures: $10,000

·        Museum Displays: $5,000

·        Furnish a Room (Kitchen and Living Room remaining): $2,000

·        Sponsor a Step in the Crib’s Stairs: $1,000

For more information, visit NMLK’s website.