Munising Range Lights Station: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Regions 3, 4, & 5 Park Cultural Landscapes Program

[CLI Landscape Description:] The Munising Range Lights Station is part of the extensive maritime history at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (PIRO). The range lights, along with the supporting buildings and cultural landscape features, represent a long and vibrant maritime history and use of waters now within park boundaries for transportation and harvest. The Station also represents civilian and military lifesaving history. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore was authorized by Congress as America’s first national lakeshore in 1966. It hugs the Lake Superior shoreline for more than 40 miles and is bordered by the towns of Munising, Michigan on the west and Grand Marais, Michigan on the east. PIRO features an impressive collection of historic resources, including two former U.S. Coast Guard Stations (the Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge and the Sand Point Life Saving Station), the Munising Range Lights, and the Au Sable Light Station. The Munising Range Lights Station is on two separate tracts of land for each light. Located in the town of Munising, Michigan, the rear range light is located on tract 01-213 and is .02 of an acre. It is located at the dead-end of Hemlock Street. It is nestled into the bluffs and forest that surround the town of Munising. The front range light and associated station dwelling (domestic landscape) are located on tract 01-212, which is .28 of an acre. Fronted by W. Munising Avenue, the dwelling has high visibility from the street and passing vehicles. The Munising Range Lights Station cultural landscape boundary includes both of these tracts of land. The station dwelling is used as an office for the Lakeshore’s Science and Natural Resources staff. The entire landscape, including both range lights, are not open to the public (National Park Service 2012). The front range light is still in use and the light and lens are owned by the United States Coast Guard. The National Park Service owns both towers. The Munising Range Lights Station’s cultural landscape is managed and maintained for the park staff that regularly work in the dwelling. This primarily includes weather maintenance such as snow removal and providing accessible circulation around the site as well as enough parking for the staff. The cultural resources include historic structures, circulation patterns, spatial organization, views and vistas, and vegetation.

Munising Range Lights Station: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

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