From renting to volunteering, opportunities abound in Michigan to sleep in lighthouse quarters. We followed along as guests slept on the grounds of the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse in the Thumb.
Great Lakes News Collaborative

Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television, The Narwhal and Michigan Public work together to report on the most pressing threats to the Great Lakes region’s water. This independent journalism is supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Water’s True Cost
As the nation prepares to pour hundreds of billions of federal dollars into rescuing water systems, the Great Lakes News Collaborative investigates the true cost of water in Michigan. Read the series.
Ready or Not
The Great Lakes region is frequently touted as one of the most climate-resilient places in the U.S., in part because of its enviable water resources. But climate change also threatens our water. The Great Lakes News Collaborative explores what it will take to prepare. Read the series.
Iconic whitefish on edge of collapse as Great Lakes biodiversity crisis deepens
Few fish are as synonymous with Michigan as whitefish. Pushed to the edge by invasive species, their struggle is the tip of a cataclysmic species collapse that could change our way of life.
What’s more Michigan than whitefish? Collapse erodes bit of state’s identity
Michigan has rhapsodized about the hardy fish for centuries. Celebrations continue, but they are taking on a melancholy tone for the fish ‘synonymous with Great Lakes living.’
It’s not just whitefish: 407 Michigan species on brink amid historic die-off
Globally, 1 million species are on the brink of extinction. Experts say to avoid further losses, society must begin to prioritize the planet’s long-term health over near-term convenience and profits.
What are your whitefish memories, Michigan? Beloved fish on the brink
The Great Lakes survivors are vanishing before our eyes. What do they mean to your family? Let Bridge know.
Michigan cities fight effects of climate change
Kalamazoo exemplifies a growing trend of communities doing what they can within their borders to adapt to a changing climate.
Study of invasive mussels finds PFAS is nearly everywhere in the Great Lakes
Great Lakes mussels are giving scientists a clearer picture of where the chemicals are concentrated, according to a recent report.
New PFAS guidelines spark more ‘do not eat’ warnings for Michigan fish
Anglers are warned not to eat their catch from 98 Michigan waterbodies, up from 33 last year, after state officials revised their health guidance in light of growing evidence that PFAS is more toxic than previously thought.
Great Lakes slightly colder than usual ahead of summer
As May’s cooler temperatures give way to summertime warmth in Michigan, the Great Lakes are slightly cooler than usual but warming. But where are Michigan’s warmest waters?
Despite US research resistance, Great Lakes aims to be Silicon Valley for water
Unlike Silicon Valley’s ascent, which was significantly bolstered by steady public research funding—federal investment, for instance, paid 25 percent of the cost of developing the transistor—Great Lakes blue economy development is taking shape in an era of resistance to US government research outlays.