North Pier Lighthouse to host open house Sunday during Tri-State Regatta

sjlighthouses533-7
sjlighthouses533-7

Residents and visitors looking for a unique place to watch the Tri-State Regatta sailboats boats leave St. Joseph are in luck.

The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center and the Lighthouse Tour Guides are inviting the public to an open house at the North Pier Lighthouse and Fog Signal Building this Sunday, September 4 from 8 a.m. to noon.

It will be the final day of the season the lighthouse is open to the public, and guests will be able to freely explore the lighthouse without a charge.

“It’s a thank you to the community for their support,” said Vern Breuker. “People can come up and watch the sailboats leave from the lighthouse if they wish.”

Breuker said donations to fun exhibits are welcome, and so are volunteers for next season, which starts around Memorial Day weekend.

“Our volunteer corps is dwindling, we had 11 last year and we’re down to five of six this year,” Breuker said. “We’d like to open it more but we just don’t have the volunteer help to do that.”

If interested in volunteering, Brueker says to contact him at 269-930-7364 or contact the Heritage Museum.

“Also, remember that since the North Pier was never constructed to accommodate pedestrian traffic,” Breuker said. “Safety protocols require the lighthouse to close under certain weather conditions.”