NEWS RELEASE
BAY MILLS INDIAN COMMUNITY
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GLADSTONE — On June 15, 2022, the Bay Mills Indian Community will begin managing the historic Point Iroquois Lighthouse under an agreement with the Hiawatha National Forest.
Under this agreement the Bay Mills Indian Community will operate the lighthouse and the museum to share their history. “The area surrounding Point Iroquois Lighthouse has cultural and historical significance to the Anishinaabe,” said Kari Thompson, Hiawatha’s East Zone Recreation Program manager. “This collaboration means the Bay Mills Indian Community can tell its story and share Anishinaabe history, cultural information, and artifacts at the lighthouse.”
“For many generations, the Bay Mills Indian Community has been involved at the lighthouse, so this presents a natural opportunity to bring in Tribal participation at Point Iroquois,” said St. Ignace District Ranger Robert West. “The new historic agreement will allow the Bay Mills Indian Community and the Forest Service to create entirely new management and new stories to tell at this very special place.”
“The hope for Bay Mills’ partnership with the U.S. Forest Service in managing Point Iroquois Lighthouse is to create an inclusive and welcoming space which allows for visitors to learn of the connections of the past to our people’s present and the importance of the connection between the land, our community, and Anishinaabe culture,” said Museum Director Candice LeBlanc. “The vision is to create and build a place of learning, connection, and appreciation for Anishinaabe people and Bay Mills Indian Community.”
The 152-year-old lighthouse on the coast of Lake Superior attracts about 40,000 visitors a year and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. For many years, the Hiawatha has been sharing the structure’s historical and cultural importance through the associated museum.
The site will open its doors to the public on June 15, 2022.
More information about the Hiawatha National Forest is available online.
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