The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society has received a $60,000 Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program grant to repair and partially replace the historic metal shingle roof on the keepers quarters at Whitefish Point Light Station in Chippewa County, Mich. The project includes a $30,000 local match.

According to the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, the work will focus on the keepers quarters, an original building completed in 1861. The structure is part of the Whitefish Point Light Station, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and serves as the centerpiece of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.

The keepers quarters are connected to the lighthouse tower by an aerial walkway that historically allowed the lightkeeper and assistant to access the lantern room regardless of weather conditions.

“The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society is very pleased to have financial support from the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program for essential repair of the lightkeepers’ quarters roof,” Sean Ley, development officer for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, said in a statement.

Funding for the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program comes from the sale of specialty Save Our Lights license plates and direct donations. Since its establishment in 2000, the program has awarded more than $3 million in matching grants to support lighthouse preservation projects across Michigan.