South Fox Island
Preserving the Past & Preparing for the Future
by Bradley Boese
Preserving the Past.
There have been many
times in the last 18 years when I felt a certain frustration
when trying to convey my passion for S. Fox Island. The response
was a kind of blank look and a lack of enthusiasm. It seemed
to me that so few people had been there and it was so far off
the more frequent boating routes, that it would be futile to
mount any effort to preserve the lighthouse station and promote
public access to the natural beauty of that gem out in Lake
Michigan. But I was wrong! The public lands on South Fox and
the lighthouse station have been prominently in the news this
last year. A Traverse City Record-Eagle survey ranked the issues
raised by a proposed land swap between the DNR and the owner
of the private property on the island as one of the top five
news stories in 2001.
When I moved back to
this region this last August after being away for more then
10 years, I was impressed that the land swap controversy had
brought together a surprisingly large and diverse group of people.
The one common thread that runs through this group is that they
have been to the island; some to hunt deer, some for the fishing
or pleasure boating, and others out of curiosity about the historic
light-station or environmental concerns. They had all been touched
by the place in such a way, that any perceived threat to public
access of the island's natural beauty and environment, any endangerment
of that environment or the cultural heritage of the light-station
and other historical residents of the island, could not go unopposed.
After following the issues for a short time in the papers, I
decided to get involved because I felt I had a somewhat unique
perspective and experience on South Fox.
Summer 1984 After many
years of work in youth employment for Northwest Michigan Human
Services Agency, I was hired by Traverse Bay Area Intermediate
School District (TBAISD) Youth Employment Services in the summer
of 1984 to organize a clean up project of the S. Fox Island
lighthouse site, and to re-secure the buildings. In coordination
with the DNR and with the enthusiastic support of the private
property owners at that time, I supervised a crew of ten Michigan
Youth Corp members, ages 17-21, on four rotations of 10 days
on site and 4 days off. This may have been the most extended
stay by any group on the public land of the island since the
light-station was automated in 1958.
Two weeks before taking
the crew to the site, I flew to the island with Ron Krepps,
the DNR official with responsibility for the site. The purpose
was to do a pre-inspection, decide what work might be accomplished
and familiarize myself with the island. As with many others
who have gone there for the first time, I was hugely impressed
with the site. From the standpoint of organizing for the project,
I had a number of concerns: the logistical difficulty of the
project being foremost, along with the isolation and the need
for the crew to be self-sufficient in every way. The following
week, a few of the crew members were hired on to assist in gathering
equipment and supplies. The whole crew was brought together
for a week at a mainland MYC camp west of Traverse City. I insisted
that our crew prepare, eat and clean-up with our own mess gear.
This was a hardship in the first days, but helped to identify
shortcomings in my preparation, and tap into individual skills.
The camp had a "ropes course;" with the help of other
staff members we put the crew through a number of team building
exercises that proved invaluable when we arrived at the island
worksite.
We flew out of Charlevoix
airport on two ten-seated Britain Islanders, one of them with
the seats removed to accommodate gear and any needed building
supplies. Without the use of a boat or motorized transport of
any kind, we carried or dragged everything from the island airstrip
to the lighthouse station. For example, all the windows and
doors of the old lighthouse and the officers' quarters that
were in need of being secured, were boarded up with plywood
transported that way.
What we were able to
accomplish in a short time with the expenditure of about $2000
for tools and materials, was far beyond the expectations of
the DNR. More importantly, being involved in the project had
a remarkable effect on the people involved. By design, the crew
was made up partially of what is referred to today as "at
risk youth," and an interesting coed mix; some headed to
college and some headed nowhere without direction. The work
schedule was set to accommodate an educational component focused
on the environment, history and the arts. Through readings I
brought, I tried to instill in the crew a sense of the history
of the station and how they were the continuation of a long
line of caretakers. Everyone seemed to respond to this challenge
and everyday people were doing remarkable things when faced
with difficult tasks or new opportunities.
I'll relate one story.
Potable water was an issue. While a visit by the Health Department
was unlikely, because of work site rules we could not just take
our water from the lake without treating it. The well at the
light-station was inoperable even with a new hand pump because
the screen and any check valve that may have been at the bottom
were corroded shut. We could have drawn our water from the gas
powered well pump at the hunting lodge by the airstrip, but
on our first hike up the west beach we found spring water flowing
from the clay layers of the perched dunes less then two miles
from our camp. It was decided that this could be the tastiest
and most convenient source of drinking water, as it was closer
and an easier hike from the light-station.
One daily chore was
to send two of the crew with two five-gallon containers carried
between them on a pole to retrieve the water. I usually sent
two of the more muscular fellows because 10 gallons of water
can be quite a load to carry for more than a mile. After a couple
of days of this task, Scott and Cass proposed digging a reservoir
lined with a plastic bag to collect the water. The best spring
only ran at about 20 gal/hr. and it would shorten the time of
the trip if they could just scoop up the water. The next day
they took a shovel along. A few days later I was amazed and
gratified, when on a walk up the beach, I saw what they had
done. With beach rocks, drift wood and other found material
they had dressed the reservoir up as a sort of "grotto"
that showed an esthetic side of Scott and Cass that was surprising.
They were almost comical in their embarrassment about any positive
comments regarding their artistic touches.
The nature of the work
seemed to bring out the best in everyone. The isolation was
an important factor. For most of the time we were there, we
were the only people on the island. Our only contact with the
mainland was an unreliable DNR radio. All personal interaction
was limited to within the crew - no phones, newspapers or radios.
Whatever personal past history or "mainland" concerns,
it was easy to stay concentrated on the "here and now."
Issues like responsibility were easy to address. Anyone not
doing their part would usually result in negative repercussions
for the whole group: a meal might be late or cold or sub-par,
or if someone, through carelessness, broke an irreplaceable
tool, the work schedule would have to be changed or the work
to be done would be more difficult.
Nearly half of the
crew was involved in just keeping the work site functioning;
preparing meals, hauling water or material and supplies from
the airstrip, so the other half could do the work the DNR had
sent us there to do. On a very basic level, we were all part
of a daily object lesson, in learning the responsibilities and
rewards of being a community member. Finally, the natural environment;
the lake, the beaches, dunes and forest in a nearly pristine
state, affected us all. The sound of the wind and waves was
a constant, except in the deep wooded interior of the island.
I personally was awed by the setting. I felt a connection with
nature there to an extent greater than almost anywhere I've
been.
The buildings of the
light-station were in remarkably good condition in 1984, considering
the very limited maintenance they had received since being transferred
to DNR responsibility in 1971. The glass in the old light tower
had been shot out, and the buildings had suffered break-ins;
otherwise there had been no vandalism and most of the damage
appeared to have been done out of curiosity. We took up residence
in one end of the officers' quarters and found the screens still
in place under the shuttering. This building was constructed
in 1910 and at that time was one of the first buildings in Leelanau
County to be built with indoor plumbing. All of the fixtures
were also in place with the drain field still functioning. Gratefully,
we could use the sink and bathtub and flush the toilets with
a bucket of water from the lake.
Preparing for the
Future
I have not been back
to the island for almost 10 years. When I was there for a private
visit in 1992, I found the light-station buildings more vandalized;
most disturbing was that for the first time a few of the plumbing
fixtures had been removed (a 500 lb bathtub and two sinks).
The buildings had not been harmed otherwise, but this evidence
of fixtures being stripped was very concerning. I am now alarmed
by recent reports of extensive stripping of the fixtures and
vandalism of the buildings. A spring trip to the island will
determine how recent and extensive is this damage. Regardless
of how recent this deterioration of the site, I feel that all
the publicity the property has received this last year will
generate increased traffic there this summer. With the development
plans of the owner of the private property on the island, pressure
and the potential for further damage will increase without some
effort to protect the site.
When the State of Michigan
acquired the lighthouse property from the Federal Government
in the 1970's, they were required to submit a plan for utilization
that was attached as a Covenant of Deed. A 1978 report by Gerald
Stilson of the DNR Waterways Division states the agency's goals
for the site since obtaining it from the GSA in 1971:
"Waterways
Division acquired this property with the idea of developing
it in the future as a harbor of refuge. Such a facility
would accommodate the boater with a rustic and historical
surrounding. The historical significance of the island could
be used to advantage with tours through the buildings and
area…The deed of the property charged us with certain responsibilities.
One is to protect an ancient gravesite from desecration….the
property was obtained from the U.S. Government for public
purposes….Our biggest problem at this time is to provide
minimum maintenance to the property in order to preserve
and protect it until a harbor is developed."
Today, even the DNR
would admit that they have not fulfilled their obligation toward
the light-station property as laid out in this plan for utilization.
The idea of developing a harbor of refuge may have been a pipe
dream in 1971 and may still be today. Some would argue that
easier access to the island might not be in the best interest
of the lighthouse property and the fragile island environment.
Regardless, the DNR's failure to follow this plan has been brought
to the attention of the National Park Service as a result of
an effort in 2001 by the DNR to include the lighthouse property
in a land swap with the private property owner. The light-station
property has now been excluded from the proposed swap, but at
the request of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa
Indians and U.S.Representative, Bart Stupak, the DNR has been
required by the NPS to comply with the plan for utilization
or submit a new one by May of this year. The DNR has openly
stated that they do not have the funds, nor does the present
administration have the inclination to properly oversee this
site.
Now is the time for
a group of non-profit organizations to get together with a new
plan for utilization of the property and begin negotiations
with the DNR for a long-term lease for the site. DNR Deputy
Director Guy Gordon has recently stated, "There are limited
reserves in the state and in the nation right now. If the Leelanau
Historical Society or the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and
Chippewa Indians want to make an offer, we would be willing
to listen to that. We're open to any ideas on how to renovate
that lighthouse." Including the groups he mentioned, environmental
groups such as the Northern Michigan Environment Action Counsel
and the Sierra Club, have taken an active interest in the public
lands on the island. Tom Kelly of the Inland Seas Education
Association expressed enthusiasm about including the site as
part of their programming. To the extent that the goals of utilization
include local school systems, TBAISD would be willing to become
involved and share from their past experience at the Beaver
Island Light.
For over twenty years,
TBAISD has administered the Beaver Island Light-station through
its Michigan Works Division - Youth Services. They now operate
an alternative school at the site. They have just had an Historical
Structures Report (HSR) completed for $20,000 with $10,000 funded
through a matching grant from the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance
Program of the State Historic Preservation Office. Lighthouse
restoration is of such benefit to Michigan that at the state
level there is an office and a coordinator whose sole job is
to assist with information and seed money as needed. Having
an HSR done for the S. Fox light-station would be an important
first step toward listing with the National Register of Historic
Places. This would facilitate eligibility for historic preservation
funding from other government and private sources. The HSR for
the Beaver Island Light station estimated the cost of restoration
at over $600,000. TBAISD has been awarded a grant of over $300,000
from The Clean Michigan Initiative /Waterfront Redevelopment
Grant program which set aside 3 million dollars just for Michigan
lighthouses. They were awarded this funding even before they
had completed the structures report. Only half of these grant
funds were awarded in the last funding cycle with the remainder
to be funded in 2002, with a May application deadline. The DNR
is not eligible for these funds, but a group of non-profit organizations
would be eligible if they are at least in negotiation with the
DNR for a long-term lease. It seems urgent to consider that
with the present condition of the state budget, these funds
may not be available in the future.
A plan for use of the
S. Fox site that includes an educational and environmental focus
would greatly increase the potential funding sources, and of
course, any program of utilization would benefit from a long-term
focus of 10 years or more for any serious effort toward a comprehensive
program. Since my involvement at the site in 1984, I've carried
a vision of what this site could be. Apart from the need for
preserving the historical site, it could become a positive work
and education environment for youth or a center for the study
of the ecology of the islands of Lake Michigan.
Never before have I
felt as strongly that this vision could become a reality. I
present this vision with urgency because presently, S. Fox is
a place that the public is more aware of than any other time,
and this too shall pass. I feel strongly that now is the time
to begin. This summer, an inventory of the property should be
done with a view toward completion of an HSR. The building needs
to be re-secured and any short-term remedies applied to prevent
any ongoing deterioration.
In October 2001, I
attended the "Landscapes of the Community" symposium
in Traverse City, organized by the Land Information Access Association.
The program was an effort to bring together people working in
the areas of art, history and the environment to promote better
communication. I attended because I thought it would be a good
opportunity to plug back into the community after being away
for many years. I knew I was in the right place when I heard
the keynote speaker, Tim Chester, Director of the Public Museum
of Grand Rapids. Tim had grown up in the Charlevoix area and
spent a lot of time on the islands of Lake Michigan. The main
point of his address was to present the concept of viewing communities
as islands in the way that they can be self-sufficient and sustaining.
Islands and communities can also be nurturing, and we can feel
removed from the demands of the larger culture. They can foster
an environment that promotes personal growth. Even though they
offer the illusion of containment, and "Just as certainly
as we know that - underneath the waterline - the island and
the mainland are one, we know that we are deeply connected to
the past and future, and the nurturing we have received has
prepared us for communion with the larger culture." He
quoted a poem by May Sarton that I think even more literally
speaks to the point of what an island environment can mean to
personal growth.
On Sark
By May Sarton
The
isle is for islanders, some born---
They like
being surrounded by
And anchored in the ever-changing
sea,
For it is just this being enclosed
In a small space within a huge space
That makes
them feel both safe and free,
Tilling small
fields under the sky.
The
Isle is for islanders, some made---
They are drawn
here, the two-in-one,
To be alone together, hand
in hand,
Walking the silence of the high plateau
Where bees and heather marry well,
Or down
long flights of stairs to caves.
Love is the summer
island, safe and wild.
Islands
are for people who are islands,
Who have always been
detached from the main
For a purpose, or because they
crave
The free within the framed as poets do,
The solitary for whom being alone
Is not a loneliness
but a fertile good
Here on this island I feel myself
at home.
And
because I am here, happy among the bees,
A donkey in
the field, the crooked paths
That lead me always to
some precipitous fall
And the sudden opening out of
blue below,
Hope flows back into my crannies now,
I am ready to begin the long journey
Toward love, the
mainland, perhaps not alone.
The preservation and future of South
Fox Island is OUR responsibility. The time to
act is NOW.
For
more information or to comment on or become involved
with the Preservation of South Fox Island, Please
contact:
Bradley Boese
Fox Island Education
Association
P.O. Box 4441, Traverse City,
MI 49685
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1.30.02
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