National Register of Historic Places

Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station

Glen Haven, Leelanau County, Michigan
Listed
April 25, 1979
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
79000285

About this property

The Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station, also known as the Glen Haven Coast Guard Station, is a Coast Guard station located near Glen Haven, Michigan. It is significant as a nearly intact version of what was, when built, a prototype architectural design. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and is now the Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum and part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station was constructed in 1901 by Robert J.B. Newcombe using prototype plans developed by the United States Life-Saving Service. The station was primarily staffed by local volunteers. It was originally located at a site about a mile west of the current location, but the inaccessibility of the original site prompted the Coast Guard to move the station to the present location in 1931. However, during World War II, operations at the station ceased, and it was eventually closed permanently in 1958. Ownership of the station was later transferred to the National Park Service, and it is now part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Beginning in 1971, and for several summers thereafter, the station served as the visitor center for the Lakeshore. In 1982- 1983, the bulk of the Life Saving Station was restored to its 1931 appearance. The interior of the boathouse and the crew's bedroom were restored their early 1900s. In the spring of 1984, the station re-opened as a maritime museum. The Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station includes four buildings: a residence, a boat house, a storage shed, and a signal tower. The residence is a two-story frame building on a cement foundation with a wood-shingled gable roof. A porch with four square columns spans the front of the structure. The nearby boat house is also a wooden frame structure, covered with vertical siding and topped with a wood shingle hip roof and an octagonal cupola.

Location

Glen Haven, Leelanau County, Michigan
44.90851, -86.03357

Categories

COMMERCETRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station

This page lists Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Sleeping Bear Inn
Industrial
0.4 mi
Glen Haven Village Historic District
Listed
0.8 mi
Port Oneida Rural Historic District
Listed
5.4 mi
Empire School
Industrial
6.9 mi
Saint Joseph's Catholic Church
Industrial
7.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station listed on the National Register?

Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 25, 1979.

What type of historic resource is Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station?

Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station?

The period of significance for Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Leelanau County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Leelanau County.

Explore LeelanauCounty ›

More historic places in Michigan

Browse all historic places in Michigan.

View Michiganhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Michigan history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Michiganhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Station will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report