Become a Lighthouse Keeper in Pure Ludington

If you’ve ever thought about becoming a lighthouse keeper, sign-up is now! Volunteers are invited to join the Volunteer Keeper Program, receive training on lighthouse history, and become ready to welcome visitors to enjoy exploring the local landmarks.

Positions are currently available at the Ludington North Breakwater and Little Sable Lighthouse. (Big Sable Lighthouse is full.) Tours of duty are one week long, and the keeper stays at the Ludington State Park for Ludington North Breakwater Light duty and at a residence in Silver Lake State Park for Little Sable duty.

“If you are interested, it is better to get your application in, sooner than later,” Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association (SPLKA) Director Peter Manning says. “The most important duties are to be a friendly face, greet visitors who come, and to be able to give a little of the history of the lighthouse.”

Applications are being accepted until the positions are filled. A training session will be offered during the last week of April. Here, accepted volunteers will learn about the lighthouse’s rich past, as well as the first aide options available on site. Duties also include selling SPLKA merchandise and keeping up the lighthouse and grounds.

“The most common question is how many stairs there are to get to the top of the lighthouse,” Manning said. “Once you have worked at the light, you will know those answers and be able to give even more information about the questions people ask.”

The mission of SPLKA is to preserve, promote and educate, and to make the lighthouses accessible to the public. SPLKA is 760 members strong and responsible for the maintenance of Big Sable, Little Sable, Ludington North Breakwater Light and White River Light Station. To learn more about membership, check out the SPLKA website HERE.

The Ludington and Little Sable lights are open to the public, seven days a week, from May to September.