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PORT HOPE, Mich. — A new barn quilt honoring Catharine Shook, Michigan’s first woman lighthouse keeper, will be dedicated at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 18, at the Port Hope Museum.
The brief public ceremony will take place at the Lumberyard museum, 8016 Portland Ave. The quilt, titled “Catharine’s Guiding Light,” has been mounted on the museum wall and becomes the ninth quilt in the Port Hope Area Historical Society’s Barn Quilt Project.
Catharine Shook’s Role at Pointe aux Barques
Shook became keeper of the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse in 1849 after her husband, Peter Shook, drowned. Peter had been the first keeper of the then-newly built light.
Her appointment was unusual for the time. As a woman, Shook required special permission from the federal government to officially assume the post. She then maintained the light while raising eight children in a remote area along Lake Huron.
Her work was critical to Great Lakes shipping. Dozens of vessels passed the point daily, relying on the light to help them move safely through the busy waterway.
The job was physically demanding. At the time, the lighthouse used whale oil as fuel. Shook had to carry the oil by hand up the lighthouse tower several times a day to keep the light burning.
Barn Quilt Dedication Honors Local Maritime History
Diane Kriewall, chairperson of the society’s Barn Quilt Project, said the quilt is meant to recognize Shook’s place in Michigan maritime history.
“We are proud to honor the memory of Catharine Shook with this quilt,” Kriewall said.
The Port Hope Area Historical Society’s Barn Quilt Project uses large, painted quilt patterns to mark local history and community stories. The newest addition connects Port Hope’s museum grounds with the history of the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse, one of the Thumb’s best-known maritime landmarks.
Quilt Also Headed To Heritage Festival
The “Catharine’s Guiding Light” quilt also will be displayed Aug. 1 at the Pointe aux Barques Maritime Center’s Heritage Festival.
The Port Hope museum ceremony on July 18 is expected to be brief. The event will recognize Shook’s place in Michigan history, the role of the lighthouse keeper, and the continued work of the Port Hope Area Historical Society.
For a small Port Hope museum, the quilt adds a visible tribute to a woman whose work helped guide vessels through Lake Huron more than 175 years ago.
The July 18 dedication is open to the public.
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ABC Day To Feature Duck Decoy Shed Dedication
The Port Hope Area Historical Society is also preparing for another major summer event tied to local history and outdoor traditions.
ABC Day is set for Aug. 15 in Port Hope. One of the day’s featured events will be the dedication of the duck decoy shed, which is expected to draw waterfowl collectors, hunters, carvers and Great Lakes outdoor history fans.
Organizers said more than 20 outdoor-related vendors are expected to take part. The event is expected to add another draw to the village’s annual summer calendar, with activities aimed at both residents and visitors.
ABC Day also includes long-running local food traditions. Visitors are advised to arrive early at the downtown doughnut stand, which is known to draw a line. The event also features bean soup, another local favorite. Organizers expect about 50 gallons to be served, and it sells out each year.
About the Port Hope Museum
The Port Hope Lumberyard Museum, 8016 Portland Ave., is owned and operated by the Port Hope Area Historical Society. The museum is housed in a former 1930s lumberyard building that is about 150 feet long and 30 feet high at its peak. Once used as a private lumberyard, the building now holds local history displays, including exhibits on home life, dairy farming, Thumb aviation, military memorabilia, a one-room schoolhouse and a village diorama. The historical society also maintains the 1904 Port Hope Train Depot and caboose. The Lumberyard Museum is open select weekends during the summer, with free admission and donations accepted.
