Port Austin Reef Light

We have $300,000 yet to raise of our $1.5 million dollar full restoration of the Port Austin Reef Light. Help us complete the final to do list by clicking the Donate button below.

2023 has been a very busy and productive year for the Port Austin Reef Light Association, and 2024 is shaping up to be just as busy.

So, why have things been busy this year? We were fortunate to receive a large MDOT grant at the end of 2022 which gave us the opportunity to finally begin the final phase of our group’s ultimate goal and plan: the historical preservation of our facility to its former glory, and to eventually create a “lightkeeper’s program” to allow the general public to stay overnight at the lighthouse and get a taste of what the original light keepers experienced over the years.

ICC Commonwealth, a company that specializes in historic preservation and is based in New York, was awarded the grant bid and began work on the exterior of the building in the spring of this year.
The extensive list of projects that the ICC crew completed includes the exterior masonry repair, installation of all new windows, repair of west facing steam room door including a new lintel, installation of fog horn dormer per original design, concrete base patching, repair of stairs, chimney stack repair and the watch room door fabrication & installation. This exterior work was all accomplished by September 1st.