Hammond Bay Biological Station, a historic Lake Huron research facility that has served the Great Lakes region through maritime rescue, coastal security, and aquatic research, is marking its 150th anniversary on Sept. 30. Organizers have announced a day of commemorative activities designed to celebrate the site’s long record of public service and examine its continued contributions to regional ecology.
According to a community announcement, the milestone anniversary will feature a two-part event consisting of daytime public tours at the station’s grounds in Millersburg, followed by an evening educational program in Rogers City. The scheduled events are intended to give area residents and visitors an opportunity to connect with the facility’s past while learning about its ongoing scientific operations.
The daytime open house will take place at the station's facility, located at 11188 Ray Road in Millersburg. Organizers have scheduled three separate guided tour sessions throughout the afternoon, with departures set for 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. on Sept. 30.
Due to physical constraints and capacity limits across the property, space on the afternoon tours is limited, and attendees are required to register in advance. Members of the public who wish to attend can secure a reservation by contacting organizers via email at msigmon@glfc.org or by calling 989-734-4768, extension 112.
The guided tours will offer attendees a rare, firsthand view of everyday station operations. Guests will have the opportunity to walk through the active scientific complex, observing the specialized infrastructure used by researchers who monitor and protect the surrounding Great Lakes ecosystem.
Following the afternoon tours in Millersburg, the celebration will shift to Rogers City for an evening presentation scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The gathering will take place at the Rogers Theater, located at 257 N. 3rd St., bringing community members together for an in-depth retrospective on the station’s historical legacy and future research directions.
The evening agenda will commence with welcoming remarks delivered by Marc Gaden, executive secretary of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, alongside Lauren Holbrook, a communications associate representing the Hammond Bay Biological Station. Their introductory addresses will set the framework for the historical and scientific discussions to follow.
A panel of featured speakers will subsequently deliver presentations detailing the facility's multi-era background and contemporary scientific undertakings. Scheduled presenters include former Rogers City Mayor Beach Hall, Hammond Bay Biological Station science communication specialist Andrea Miehls, and station supervisor Nick Johnson.
Together, the speakers will reflect on the facility’s extensive history, discuss current research initiatives, and provide insight into the station’s strategic role in advancing long-term fisheries management and environmental stewardship across the Great Lakes.
The station’s legacy began 150 years ago in 1876, when it was initially established as a U.S. Life-Saving Service station along northeastern Lake Huron in Michigan. During this inaugural era, crew members were charged with the perilous duty of aiding mariners and safeguarding commercial and passenger vessels negotiating the area's hazardous navigating conditions.
For decades, the outpost served as an essential safety installation, providing immediate emergency response to shipwrecks and distressed sailors along the rugged Lake Huron coastline. This maritime heritage established an early foundation of public safety and dedicated community service that defined the site for generations.
The facility transitioned to its next chapter in 1915, when the Life-Saving Service was incorporated into the newly formed U.S. Coast Guard. Under Coast Guard jurisdiction, the station maintained its active maritime safety role, continuing to patrol local waters and assist navigation along the northeastern Michigan shoreline.
A defining transition occurred in 1950 when the coastal security outpost was officially transformed into the Hammond Bay Biological Station. With this administrative and operational shift, the facility’s primary mission moved away from maritime rescue and redirected entirely toward biological research and fisheries science.
Since that mid-century pivot, the biological station has focused extensively on ecological preservation, most notably pioneering efforts to manage and suppress invasive sea lampreys throughout the Great Lakes. The scientific advancements developed at the station have played a vital role in supporting the recovery, restoration, and long-term protection of regional fish populations.
Organizers underscored that the anniversary observance is designed to honor this uninterrupted century and a half of service, highlighting the facility’s enduring bonds with Lake Huron and surrounding northern Michigan communities. The public events will celebrate both the brave maritime personnel of the past and the scientific professionals working there today.
As the Hammond Bay Biological Station embarks on its next era of operations, the Sept. 30 celebration will bridge past achievements with future goals. By reflecting on 150 years of evolution—from life-saving rescues to critical fisheries management—the station aims to reinforce its continued commitment to scientific discovery and Great Lakes conservation for years to come.
(0)