Portion of Stearns Park to be used for maritime displays

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LUDINGTON — The city of Ludington will set aside the southwestern portion of Stearns Park to be used for exhibit space for the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. The space will likely be the new home of the historic fish market and the Coast Guard 44-foot rescue boat, along with a charter fishing boat sculpture.

Ludington City Council approved the request from the Mason County Historical Society during the council’s regular meeting Monday night.

Mayor John Henderson said the use of the land would tie in nicely with the improvements the city is planning for the west end of Ludington Avenue.

The Port of Ludington Maritime Museum is a project funded by the historical society and is planned for the former Coast Guard station, located on South Lakeshore Drive. The station is owned by the City of Ludington and is directly to the east of the new Coast Guard station, which was built in 2004..

The land where the exhibits will go is west of the new Coast Guard station. Currently, most of the land is open space.

City Attorney Richard Wilson reminded the council that the land will remain city property and will always be open to the public.

The Coast Guard first made an appearance in Ludington in 1878 when a life saving station was commissioned by the U.S. government. The 20-ton 44-foot rescue boat served Ludington’s Lake Michigan shoreline from 1966 until 2002.

The old fish market building was once located on William Street next to the Star Watch Case factory. That property is now the Ludington Waterfront Park, condominiums and a marina. The building is currently located at the carferry dock.