Adopt-a-Building

Whether you guard a farm, a cottage, a log cabin, inn, or any other historic property, you will be helping to preserve and maintain these cultural treasures  that grace the landscape and tell of our history. In partnership with the Lakeshore, you can become a steward of these historic resources through  Historic Sleeping Bear’s adoption program.

The adopter volunteer will commit to surveying a historic property on a regular basis using our checklist to report issues needing attention.

More than one volunteer can be the Guardian of a building or landscape.

Step 1 – Complete our online volunteer sign-up form to be approved as a PHSB volunteer. Indicate your preference for which property or building you would like to watch.  See our map of locations.

Step 2 – Look for an email from our program coordinator confirming your volunteer application and the property you are watching.

Step 3 – Sign up as a VIP (Volunteer in the Park).  Fill out the VIP form.  Submit this form to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center in Empire.

Step 4 – We are revamping our process for surveying and reporting. Property maps for the area you are watching will be provided.  For properties with multiple buildings, we have created a property map to accompany the volunteer report to identify comments with an identified building.

Step 5 – After each survey of the property and submission of your we will forward to the Park Building Supervisor.

Step 6 – We are revamping our process for tracking your volunteer hours in 2021. Volunteer hours will be reported annually in September.

MAPS

Treat Farm

Eckhart farm

Eitzen farm

Dechow farm

Carsten Burfiend

Buffka farm

Barratt Pig Barn

Project Description:
Volunteers will survey the historic property they adopt to report any problems such as broken entry, missing boards, animal damage, broken windows.  We’ve had significant issues with porcupines eating the clapboard and need to treat these areas immediately.

Time Commitment: Spring, Summer and Fall; twice per month.  Island properties will require once a month.

Coordinator: 

Impact on resources: Many of these buildings are in locations that are not regularly visited or readily visible.  Supplementing Park visits will aid greatly in keeping tabs on the condition of these resources.   Property that is being watched and cared for on a timely basis helps to deter vandalism and catch deterioration before it escalates. A volunteer’s report will provide information that may not otherwise have received attention for some time.

Volunteers Qualifications:
Volunteer’s can drive to some locations, while others may require some hiking so you should be in good health.  Individuals that are thorough and pay attention to detail will be most helpful.

Volunteer Actions:
At this time, volunteers may not make repairs on buildings. There are guidelines under which repairs are made in accordance with the Secretary of Interior’s preservation standards.

The volunteer is permitted to move fallen branches around the property, pick up litter, and temporarily secure open entries.

In addition to reporting a condition assessment of the buildings and property, the volunteer will record their hours worked in our Fiscal Year, between October 1 and September 30, and provide them to PHSB by October 1st, These hours are essential for both our, and Park, reporting purposes.