Gallinipper Historic Lifeboat Museum
Completed 2011
This new Museum building is designed to exhibit a historic “Metallic Life Surf Boat” designed and built by Joseph Francis in the mid 1800‘s and originally given to Saugatuck in 1854. The “Gallinipper” is one of 2 known remaining lifeboats of its kind, built using galvanized metal lapstrake in lieu of wood and is known to have set the precedent for lifesaving boat design for some time. The building takes cues from local vernacular barn structures and construction - being designed to resemble a pole barn. This is a non-conditioned structure, allowing for an affordable construction budget and seasonal operation. The building is set into a larger Landscape of the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society’s Old Schoolhouse Cultural Center and is prominently located on the main street in a small Mid-Western downtown setting. This project was funded through private donations and an NEA Grant. More information can be found at the Historical Society’s website: http://sdhistoricalsociety.org/
Exhibit Designed by Kristi Mueller and James Schmiechen
