Past Projects - Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear

Past Preservation Projects

Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear has had over two decades of success in preserving the cultural history of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. To date we have completed approximately 80 preservation projects due do dedicated volunteers at work and donors that funded supplies, equipment and specialized contractors. Thank you!

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Weekly Window Restoration Workshops

Goffar Barn

August 5, 2022

Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear was able to save the historic 150 year old Goffar barn from falling into Lake Narada

North Unity School

August 24, 2021

In the woods overlooking Narada Lake, the transformation of the little schoolhouse will be completed this summer

Kraitz Log Cabin

August 24, 2021

This oldest structure on the mainland in the park has been taken from deterioration to almost complete restoration.

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October 25 Casey installing cedar shakes

A chronology of year by year efforts through 2017

The Faust Cabin (“GlenCraig”)

This beautiful log cabin near Inspiration Point now belongs to the Park. The end-goal is that it will be open to the public at times. We funded $10,600 as a National Park Centennial project match for window repair in collaboration with SEEDS. 20 of 70 windows were completed.

Antique Orchard Grafting
A collaboration project to preserve the antique varieties of the orchards through grafting. PHSB provided funding. Other partners were NPS, DeYoung Farm/Leelanau Conservancy and the Conservation District. Grafting was done on the orchards at the Kelderhouse farm.

Window Repair workshop Instruction on repairing old windows instead of replacing with new while repairing many windows removed from historic structures in the Park

Lead paint and asbestos training for PHSB volunteers and NPS employees. Funded in part by PHSB. This training session covered how to safely handle these materials when working on historic structures.

Barn Workshop
A hands-on barn workshop worked on the John Burfiend barn including barn floor, siding, post, ramp, window and door repair a Sponsored by Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear, NPS and the Barn Preservation Network.

Carsten Burfiend Window Repair
Continued repair of windows at the Carsten Burfiend farmhouse

Barn Door Restoration & Field Clearing, Olsen Farm
We restored one of the sliding barn doors to open up one of the areas for use again; Removed new-growth pine trees east of the farmhouse by the “grandma’s house. We also restored clothesposts in the yard.

Charles & Hattie Olsen Barn Roof Repair
Our contractors repaired and applied aluminum coating to the rusted barn roof so it will last many more years. The barn was painted in 2014.

Ole Oleson farmhouse exterior painting and siding repair

Casten Burifend Farmhouse(s) exterior painting and siding repair

Port Oneida Schoolhouse
The Port Oneida School is a focal point of the Port Oneida Rural Historic District. This one-room schoolhouse belongs to the Glen Lake Community Schools as a private in-holding in the park. PHSB funded $16,000 and hired the labor for a new roof, interior chimney repair, and a new ceiling.

Kraitz Log Cabin
This cabin is one of the finest examples of log construction in the area. Volunteers removed what was left of the roof. We hired a contractor to begin restoration and/or replacement of numerous deteriorated logs.

North Manitou Island – Riggs Cottage, Field Restoration

Tweddle Schoolhouse – volunteers repaired porch floor, footings and posts; installed new rough sawn wood to porch roof and installed new shingles.

Charles and Hattie Olsen Farmhouse exterior scraped and painted

Advocacy success to redirect park effort toward a plan of preservation

Martin Basch Farm – Garage restoration

Treat Farm clean up

Co-founded the Port Oneida Fair

Charles and Hattie Olsen House Rehabilitated for offices and History Center
Commissioned “Cultural Landscape Model Interpretive Model”

Olsen Farm History Center opens with docents

Martin Basch Granary Restoration

Charles and Hattie Olsen Farm Root Cellar Restored

Provided input on Sleeping Bear’s Port Oneida Scoping

Hutzler Farm – South Manitou Island

Field Clearing – South Manitou Island

Chicken Coop stabilization – South Manitou Island

Boekeloo Cabin – minor repairs/clean up
Charles and Hattie Olsen House – removed old concrete from back entrancePort Oneida Field Clearing

Olsen Farm History Center Exhibit planning started

Provided input on park’s General Management Planning

Charles and Hattie Olsen Farm

New Barn flooring in south bay
Reinforced timber support
Organized Olsen family Reunion Port Oneida EA
New eaves over barn and house
Olsen Barn – phase 1 completion of ramp wall
Farmhouse – built new accessible ramp for back entrance
Landscaped, and arbor and picket fence built, outdoor faucets installed
Farmhouse – glazed front windows
Built missing pantry doors and drawers

Funded oral history recording
Port Oneida Tour filmed for staff and docent training
Peter Burfiend Farm – Brooder House preserved
Carsten Burfiend Farm – Brooder House preserved
Katie Shepherd Hotel – Funded materials for porch decking project
Miller Barn – provided instruction for barn workshop
Boekeloo Cabin – site assessment funded

Ole Oleson Farm – Granary Restoration, Pig Barn Restoration, Field restoration

Provided input on Park’s General Management Plan Preferred Alternative

Provided input on Environmental Assessment for Visitor Contact station in Port Oneida

Charles Olsen Farm – Barn Ramp and Apron Restoration completed, Barn Door – installed with new rollers

Charles and Hattie Olsen house pantry project completed

Charles and Hattie Olsen garden planted

Carsten Burfiend Brooder House project completed

Katie Shepherd Hotel – site assessment

Boekeloo Cabin – phase 1 stabilization; first elevation

Ole Oleson Granary – completed siding

Charles and Hattie Olsen – Field restoration, build and installed basement windows, built storm windows; glaze, paint – 10 windows, built and installed kitchen window casings; build, stain and install trim

Martin Basch Farm – constructed and installed shed doors, mason repair on porch stone pillars, and poured concrete caps

Katie Shepherd Hotel Porch/NMI – Straighten structure, installed 2 new headers, removed old ceiling and flooring, sorted flooring to re-use, painted stain all ceiling and flooring; installed 2/3rds of ceiling.

C. Olsen kitchen – restored stove installed

Katie Shepard Hotel Porch/NMI – ceiling, flooring, header, trim, etc.

Advocated for changes in Glen Haven plan – change bus waiting area away from the Cannery

Stabilization of Barratt Pig Barn

Milled hemlock for projects with SEEDS

Charles and Hattie Olsen Farm – kitchen windows completed

Treat Farm – 6 outbuildings repaired using hemlock we milled; excavation to improve drainage around historic buildings

Ole Oleson Farm Field Clearing

Charles and Hattie Olsen Farm – Original icebox restored and installed, purchased and installed kitchen baseboard and vents

Katie Shepard Hotel Porch – stage 2 – completed dormer repair, stone repair, etc.

Treat Farm Farmhouse sill repair, field clearing.

Treat Farm Pig barn preservation completed, painted shed

Ole Oleson Farm field clearing

Received Collaborative Preservation Award from TC History Center

Monte Carlo Cottage Assessment and Historic Condition Report

First Port Oneida Picnic offered as fundraiser for Port Oneida Fair

Provided response to Port Oneida Cultural Landscape Management Plan

Katie Shepard Hotel – 4th year: Removed and salvaged as much of ceiling as possible; removed portions of damaged flooring; and replaced; fortified structural supports; repaired soffits; paint and glazing of windows; repaired and added structural support to dormers; paid for exterior house scraping and priming; volunteers painted finish coat on exterior, etc.

Treat Farm

Contracted exterior house scraping, priming and painting
Contracted repair work for both chimneys
Contracted with Park to install portion of metal roof
Field Clearing
Remove mold from concrete porch
Repair of eaves
Repair stone foundation

Charles and Hattie Olsen Farm

Contracted exterior spot scraping and priming of farmhouse. Volunteers painted.
Stage one of silo chute repairs

Boekeloo Cabin – phase 2 contracted

Restoration of logs; removal and replace foundational log;
chinking; painting logs; log treatment
partial removal of interior paneling