LANSING-- More than 120 lighthouses have stood as beacons in the night, guiding ships through the Great Lakes, beckoning them along Michigan's shores since 1825. 

Beginning with the Fort Gratiot lighthouse in Port Huron, the remaining historical structures have become recognizable icons and symbolize the importance of the Great Lakes during the nation's formative years.

Next year, $145,000 in grants -the highest amount since the Lighthouse Assistance Program started in 1999-will be awarded to the keepers of six lighthouses.  To qualify, lighthouse owners must match 50 percent of the funds given by the state. 

The program has given nearly $800,000 in grants to 26 historical lighthouses.  It is part of the State Historic Preservation Office. 

The funds come from the sale of "Save our Lights" license plates that debuted in 2001.  For $35, drivers can purchase a plate with a picture of White Shoal Lighthouse-a red-and-white striped lighthouse near the Mackinac Bridge.  Twenty-five dollars from every sale benefits the assistance program. 

"Lighthouses have become a powerful symbol of Michigan and our rich maritime history," said William Anderson, director of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries.  "By choosing the 'Save our Lights' license plates, drivers can help preserve these important icons."

Benzie County will receive $36,367 to restore Point Betsie Light Station on Lake Michigan.  The exterior of the 1858 lighthouse has been fully restored but it still lacks a completed interior.

The makeover is budgeted for $134,550, with the rest of the money coming from other grants as well as locally raised money.

"This is a monumental project and probably the coolest thing I've ever done," said Chuck Clarke, Benzie County administrator-controller.  Clarke is responsible for managing the improvements and developing the lighthouse's long-term plan.

The county government and the Point Betsie Lighthouse Friends are working to return the historical monument to what it looked like in 1944 when it was at the height of use.  Refurbishing the lighthouse to reflect that era required repainting the exterior and removing chimneys.  The exterior was started last summer.

The inside will house an educational facility with exhibits that illustrate Michigan's maritime history and current ecological conditions.

Restoration is a multi-step, ongoing process, said Dick Moehl, president of the Mackinaw City-based Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association.  The keepers start with months of research to determine how their lighthouses originally looked and worked.  Their ultimate goal is to make a lighthouse look as it did during a specific period in its history.  Typically, they only incorporate modern technology into the actual wiring of the lights. 

From the research, the keepers put together a report that combines physical and cultural history.  Often, preparations include reinforcing the structure and reconstructing roofs.  Because many lighthouses have been abandoned for decades, repair lists are often long and priorities must be set.

"Actually, we hope it never ends," said Judy Bennett of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association.  "This is what brings people to the lighthouse."

The Beaver Island Lighthouse in St. James Township will be use the $16,000 grant to repair structural damage, install proper ventilation and replace door and windows that have fallen into disrepair over its 147-year history, according to the Department of History, Arts and Libraries.

Farther north, the Gull Rock Lighthouse's $6,700 will go to patch the roof on the building and outhouse.  The temporary repairs are necessary to halt more damage before the badly deteriorating roof can be replaced.

Just like any other structures lighthouses must be maintained with repairs and repainting every few years.

Although the state has found success in restoring many historic lighthouses, about 16 off-shore ones remain without stewards to restore them, said Martha McFarlane-Faes, Michigan Lighthouse Project director. 

The cost to restore these structures is significantly greater than lighthouses on shore.  Time, transportation and the weather all play much greater roles in these locales.

Moehl points to the Stannard Rock Light in Lake Superior, 50 miles north of Marquette, as particularly difficult to reach and thus repair.

"Some of these things, it's not going to be practical to preserve them," he said.