Wisconsin Lighthouses

The U.S. state of Wisconsin has two coastlines. One coastline faces north on Lake Superior and includes the Apostle Islands stretching out into the lake. The other coastline faces east on Lake Michigan. Green Bay, a branch of Lake Michigan, is separated from the main part of the lake by the scenic Door Peninsula. Lake Winnebago drains northward into Green Bay through the Fox River.

Wisconsin has a surprisingly large number of lighthouses: this list shows about 50, at least 33 of them active. There is no state preservation society, but many local lighthouse societies are at work in Wisconsin.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. USCG numbers are from volume 7 of the U.S. Coast Guard List of Lights.

What's Hot:

General Sources
Seeing the Lights - Wisconsin: This outstanding site, written by Terry Pepper, has fine photos, extensive historical accounts, and current information on nearly all of the lighthouses.
Wisconsin Lighthouses: Part of Kraig Anderson's LighthouseFriends.com site; includes photos and brief accounts for nearly all the lighthouses.
Lighthouses of the Great Lakes: Maintained by Neil Schultheiss, this site has good photos and short accounts for many of the state's lighthouses.
Lighthouses in Wisconsin, United States: Excellent aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Wisconsin Attractions: Lighthouses and Lighthouse Tours: Tourist information posted by Wisconsin Online.
The Lighthouse People - Wisconsin: Photos of all the state's lighthouses by Bob and Sandra Shanklin.
Wisconsin Historical Lighthouses: Rare early photos posted by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Door County Lighthouses: Posted by the Door County Maritime Museum, this site has historical information on 9 light stations in the county as well as current information on visiting the lighthouses. The Museum sponsors the Door County Lighthouse Walk every May, a weekend when most of the county's lighthouses hold open house for visitors.
Apostle Islands Lighthouse Celebration: The Lighthouse Celebration is a festival of tours and programs held each September at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Site includes lighthouse photos and other information.

Wisconsin Point Light, July 2005
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Lake Superior Lighthouses

LaPointe (1): 1858. Inactive since 1896 and abandoned since 1938. The building was expanded to 2-1/2 stories for use as a keeper's house in 1896, and the light tower was removed at that time. The building is now in ruins. Located on Long Island about 1/4 mile (400 m) east of Chequamegon Point and 3/4 mile (1.2 km) west of the 1896 LaPointe (2) Light. Site open. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
Chequamegon Point (1): 1896. Inactive since 1987 (light moved to top of cylindrical fog signal tower, next entry). 42 ft (13 m) square pyramidal cast iron skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and an enclosed workroom below the lantern. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Keeper's house burned. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the light station, the national lakeshore has a page on all the Long Island lighthouses, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a closeup historic photo. Located at the western end of Long Island, about 2/3 mile (1 km) west of LaPointe Light. A Coast Guard helicopter moved the tower back from the eroding shoreline in 1987. Accessible only by boat; water taxi service available in season. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
[Chequamegon Point (2)]: 1987. Active; focal plane 33 ft (10 m); green flash every 4 s. Round cylindrical steel tower, painted white, with 300 mm lens at the top. This "D9" tower is similar to many others on the Great Lakes. Built next to the 1895 tower. Accessible only by boat; water taxi service available in season. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. ARLHS USA-164; USCG 7-15295.
Gull Island: 1928. Active; focal plane 56 ft (17 m); white flash every 10 s. 50 ft (15 m) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with gallery, painted black; 250 mm lens. No keeper's house; keepers at Michigan Island were responsible for maintenance until 1943. Located on a small island about 1 mile (1.6 km) off the northeast tip of Michigan Island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. ARLHS USA-1065; USCG 7-15260.
** Outer Island: 1874 (O.M. Poe). Active; focal plane 130 ft (40 m); white flash every 10 s. 90 ft (27.5 m) round brick tower attached to 2-1/2 story brick keeper's house with lantern and gallery; solar-powered 300 mm lens (1992). Tower painted white with black trim; lantern roof is also black. Frame fog signal building, original but modified; twin type F diaphone foghorns (1929) in place. A complete and well preserved light station. Guided tours available in season. The park service also has a page for the lighthouse, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Endangered by shoreline erosion, the light station was placed on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List in April 2000. In October, Congress appropriated $2 million to save both the Outer Island and Raspberry Island Lights. However, the Park Service needed nearly all the money for Raspberry Island; more than $2 million more is needed for Outer Island. Located at the northern end of the island. Accessible only by boat (dock available; water taxi service available in season). Site open, tower open to tours in season. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. ARLHS USA-572; USCG 7-15255.
** Devils Island (2): 1901 (station established 1891). Active; focal plane 100 ft (31 m); red flash every 10 s. 71 ft (21.5 m) round cylindrical cast iron tower with square pyramidal steel bracing, lantern and gallery. The original 3° Fresnel lens was removed by Coast Guard in 1989 and then returned to the tower by the park service in 1992, but it is not in use; the active light is a solar-powered 190 mm lens mounted on the gallery. Tower painted white, lantern black. Two 2-story Queen Anne brick and wood keeper's house (1891 and 1896), two brick oil houses, and other buildings. Original wood fog signal building. The tower also carries an array of weather instruments as a NOAA National Data Buoy Center C-MAN station. Luis Felipe Castro has a good photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This lighthouse replaced an 1891 wooden tower and is a sibling of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Light (see below). The steel bracing was added in 1914; the Coast Guard has a 1913(?) historic photo of the lighthouse without the bracing. Lighthouse Digest has other historic photos in a September 2003 article, and the park service also has a page for the lighthouse. Guided tours available in season. Located on Devils Island about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Point Detour on the mainland. Accessible only by boat (dock available; water taxi service available in season). Site open, tower open to tours in season. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. ARLHS USA-228; USCG 7-15565.
** Sand Island: 1881. Reactivated (inactive 1933-1985); focal plane 60 ft (18 m); white flash every 6 s. 40 ft (12 m) octagonal cylindrical sandstone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story Norman gothic sandstone keeper's house; DCB-24 aerobeacon (1980). Lantern painted black. Sibling of Chambers Island Light: lower half of the tower is square and upper half octagonal. Brick oil house. The park service returned the light to the lighthouse in 1985, removing the skeletal tower that had carried it since 1933. A handsome lighthouse, sometimes called the "jewel of the Apostles." The park service also has a page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bill Britten has an excellent photo. Located on the north side of the island. Accessible only by boat; accessible in season by daily excursion boat and a 2-mile hike. Site open, tower open to tours in season. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. ARLHS USA-722; USCG 7-15580.
* Superior Entry South Breakwater (Wisconsin Point): 1913. Active; focal plane 70 ft (21 m); green flash every 5 s. 56 ft (17 m) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to an unusual 2-story oval-shaped concrete keeper's quarters; DCB-24 aerobeacon (1970). Lighthouse painted white with bright red roofs; lantern and gallery rail are black. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) when needed. Two 2-1/2 story wood keeper's houses onshore. A photo appears at the top of this page, Anderson has good photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The Superior Entry is the natural outlet for the lagoon that forms the harbors of Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota. A small wood lighthouse was built on the north pier of the Entry (in Minnesota) in 1879 and relocated to the south pier in 1892. The present lighthouse was built at the end of new breakwater piers constructed in 1912. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Superior, at the end of Wisconsin Point Road. Google has a fuzzy satellite view. There are good views from an adjoining natural area. Accessible (with some difficulty) by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-829; USCG 7-15595.

West Shore Green Bay Lighthouses
[Green Island (1)]: 1863. Inactive since 1956. Ruins of 2-story stone keeper's house; the light tower has collapsed. Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. Anderson has photos, and the Shanklins have an aerial photo of the site. The building was vacated when the lighthouse was automated in 1933. It deteriorated steadily, and the Coast Guard moved the light to a skeletal tower in 1956. The lighthouse was later burned by vandals. Located on an island in Green Bay about 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Marinette. Accessible only by boat. Owner, site status and site manager unknown. ARLHS USA-945.
Green Island (2): 1956 (station established 1863). Active; focal plane 80 ft; white flash every 6 s. 65 ft (20 m) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower, painted black. Pepper has a photo by Larry Bell. Located adjacent to the ruins of the historic lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-21970.
Peshtigo Reef: 1936. Active; focal plane 72 ft (22 m); white flash every 6 s. 72 ft (22 m) round steel tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a concrete crib. Lighthouse painted white with a single broad red band; lantern is black. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) when needed. The Shanklins also have a photo. Keepers from Sherwood Point Light originally maintained the lighthouse. Located about 3 miles (5 km) off Peshtigo Point southeast of Peshtigo. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-951; USCG 7-21990.
Long Tail Point (1): 1849. Inactive since 1859. Ruined 65 ft (20 m) round stone tower. Lighthouse Digest has the tower on the Doomsday List. Two later lighthouses on the point have disappeared completely. Kraig Anderson has excellent photos. Located near the end of the point, which projects into the bay north of the city of Green Bay. Accessible only by boat (the point does not connect to the mainland), and the lighthouse site is hard to reach through dense vegetation. Owner: Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources. Site manager: Long Tail Point State Wildlife Area. ARLHS USA-452.
Green Bay Harbor Entrance: 1935. Active; focal plane 72 ft (22 m); red light occulting every 4s. Round cylindrical steel tower rising from circular steel workroom, mounted on concrete caisson; the small lantern is topped by a short radio mast. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Fog horn (blast every 15 s) when needed. The Coast Guard also has a photo. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-352; USCG 7-22130.
* Grassy Island Range Front: 1872. Inactive since 1966 (a decorative light is often displayed). 26 ft (8 m) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof black. Originally located on a pier adjacent to a small island at the entrance to Green Bay harbor; the Coast Guard has a 1914 photo of the light station. Members of the Green Bay Yacht Club saved the towers from demolition in 1966, relocating them to the grounds of the club on the east side of the mouth of the Fox River in Green Bay. The club began restoring the front range light in 2000 and the rear light in 2003; a ceremony in November 2005 marked the end of the restoration projects. Anderson also has good photos. Located upstream from the end of Bay Beach Road, off I-43 in downtown Green Bay. Views from municipal boat launching ramp. Site open, towers closed. Owner/site manager: Green Bay Yacht Club. ARLHS USA-334.
* Grassy Island Range Rear: 1872. Inactive since 1966 (a decorative light is often displayed). 36 ft (11 m) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof black. See previous entry for historical information. Located upstream from the end of Bay Beach Road, off I-43 in downtown Green Bay. Views from municipal boat launching ramp. Site open, towers closed. Owner/site manager: Green Bay Yacht Club. ARLHS USA-339.

Door County Lighthouses

* Chambers Island (1): 1868. Inactive since 1961. 67 ft (20 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. Lower half of the tower is square and upper half octagonal. The lantern has been removed. The Coast Guard has a photo (misfiled under Michigan). The Door County Maritime Museum has posted the history of the light station. The building is occupied by resident caretakers, who are working to restore the lighthouse and establish a small museum. Transportation to the island is available from Fish Creek. Located at the end of Baseline Road on the northwestern side of the island, about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Fish Creek. Site open, lighthouse open in season when the caretaker is present; also open during the Door County Lighthouse Walk in May and other guided tours arranged by the Door County Maritime Museum. Owner/site manager: Town of Gibraltar (Chambers Island Park). ARLHS USA-150.
* Chambers Island (2): 1961. Active; focal plane 97 ft (30 m); white flash every 6 s. 67 ft (20 m) square cylindrical steel skeletal tower with gallery, painted black. The tower can be seen in the Coast Guard's photo of the light station. Located adjacent to the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-21895.
**** Eagle Bluff: 1868. Active; focal plane 75 ft (23 m); white flash every 6 s. 43 ft (13 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. 5° Fresnel lens (1918) mounted in the lantern; active light is a solar-powered 300 mm lens mounted on the gallery. Buildings unpainted brick; roofs red. Similar to Chambers Island Light, except all of the tower is square. Building is a maritime museum operated by the Door County Historical Society. Restored 1960-63. The Door County Maritime Museum has posted the history of the light station. On October 16, 2003, a ceremony transferred ownership of the light station to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Located on Shore Drive at the western entrance to Eagle Harbor, about 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Ephraim. Site open (park entry fee), museum and tower open mid May to mid October (admission fee). Owner: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Peninsula State Park). Site manager: Door County Maritime Museum. ARLHS USA-252; USCG 7-21825.
Boyer Bluff: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 220 ft (67 m); white flash every 6 s. 80 ft (24 m) square cylindrical steel skeletal tower. Some may not consider this to be a lighthouse, but it is a very prominent navigational aid. Located on Boyer Bluff at the northwestern corner of Washington Island. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-21770.

Pilot Island (Port des Morts Island): 1858. Active; focal plane 48 ft (14.5 m); 2 white flashes every 6 s. 41 ft (12.5 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a 2-story brick keeper's house; solar-powered 300 mm lens. Building is unpainted stone; lantern is painted black. Enlarged 1904; originally the building was very similar to the Pottawatomie Light. 1-1/2 story brick fog signal building (1904). The Door County Maritime Museum has the history of the station. A new group, Death's Door Watchstanders, was formed to work for preservation of the Plum Island and Pilot Island lights; reorganized in 2007, this group is now called Friends of Pilot and Plum Islands. The site is currently abandoned, overgrown, and overrun by a large population of cormorants. Jack Eckert, a former crew member at the light station, has posted his memoir of life there in 1955. Lighthouse Digest has an October 2003 feature on Pilot Island and Plum Island Lights. In October 2007, ownership was finally transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Volunteers rushed to carry out emergency repairs to the roof of the lighthouse before the onset of winter weather. Located on a tiny island in the Porte des Morts (Death's Door) Passage between Washington Island and the mainland of the peninsula. The island is closed to the public, but the lighthouse is visible (distantly) from the Northport-Washington Island ferry. Shoreline Resort, at Ellison Bay, offers sightseeing cruises that pass the site. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ARLHS USA-600; USCG 7-21325.
[Port des Morts (Plum Island)]: 1846. Inactive since 1858. Foundation ruins of this stone tower remain visible near the Plum Island Range Rear Light. ARLHS USA-1068.
Plum Island Range Rear: 1897. Active; focal plane 80 ft (24 m); continuous red light, day and night. 65 ft (20 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder, lantern and double gallery; original 4° Fresnel lens. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is red. Sibling of Coney Island Light, NY. The 2-story brick keeper's house is abandoned and deteriorating. The front range light (similar to the Bailey's Harbor Range Front Light) was replaced in 1964 by a skeletal tower (focal plane 41 ft; red light, 3 s on, 3 s off). The keeper's house and Coast Guard station were listed among Wisconsin's 10 most endangered historic properties in April 2000. The island has become a national wildlife refuge, and the Door County Maritime Museum agreed with U.S. Fish and Wildlife to assume responsibility for the light station. A major stumbling block was old fuel spills on the island; in 2004 the Coast Guard completed an $863,000 project to clean these up. However, as delay has piled on delay the Museum backed away from its earlier commitment, and Fish and Wildlife is now working with the Friends of Pilot and Plum Islands on a management plan. In October 2007, ownership was finally transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service. The island will be open for limited public access. Lighthouse Digest has an October 2003 feature on Pilot Island and Plum Island Lights. Lighthouse located on the southwest side of the island across the Porte des Morts (Death's Door) Passage from Northport; visible from the Northport-Washington Island ferry. Accessible only by boat. Shoreline Resort, at Ellison Bay, offers sightseeing cruises that pass the site. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ARLHS USA-608; USCG 7-21310.

* Baileys Harbor Range Front: 1870. Inactive since 1969. 21 ft (6.5 m) octagonal cylindrical wood tower on a square base. Lighthouse painted white, roof black. Bear Huelman has a closeup photo. This light and the rear range light are siblings of the lights at Presque Isle Range MI. A wooden boardwalk joins the two lights. Located on Ridges Road on the north side of the harbor. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Door County. Site manager: Ridges Sanctuary. ARLHS USA-936.
* Baileys Harbor Range Rear: 1870. Inactive since 1969. 35 ft (10.5 m): square cupola-style lantern mounted on the roof of 1-1/2 story wood keepers house. 5° Fresnel lens (1902) still mounted in lantern. Lighthouse painted white; roofs are red. A September 2007 closeup photo is available. This light and the front range light are siblings of the lights at Presque Isle Range MI. A wooden boardwalk joins the two lights. The history of the light station has been posted by Door County Maritime Museum. The building is leased as a summer residence. Located off Ridges Road on the north side of the harbor. Site and tower closed, but it is possible to photograph the lighthouse from the front gate. Owner: Door County. Site manager: private. ARLHS USA-027.
Baileys Harbor: 1853 (Alison Sweet). Inactive since 1869. 52 ft (16 m) round rubblestone tower with a rare birdcage lantern, attached to 1-1/2 story rubblestone keeper's house. Bear Huelman has a good photo, and Schultheiss has posted a photo by Dave Wobser. The keeper's house, used as a private residence, is in good condition, but the tower is endangered by decay; the lantern is no longer supported and may fall at any time. Lighthouse added to the Doomsday List in June 2001. Located on privately-owned Lighthouse Island; there is a distant view from the end of Ridges Road. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-026.

* Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead (2): 1903 (station established 1882). Active; focal plane 40 ft (12 m); red flash every 2.5 s. 39 ft (12 m) round cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-1/2 story steel fog signal building. 6° Fresnel lens (1881) recently replaced by 300 mm lens. The entire lighthouse is painted bright red. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s) as needed. A photo is at right, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The canal connects the main part of Lake Michigan to Green Bay, cutting through the narrowest part of the Door Peninsula. Located at the end of the breakwater on the north side of the canal entrance. Accessible in good weather by walking the pier from the Coast Guard station at the foot of Utah Street. Views from adjacent Portage Park. Site open and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-822; USCG 7-21005.
* Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal (Canal Station): 1899 (steel bracing added in 1903). Active; focal plane 107 ft (32.5 m); red flash every 10 s. 98 ft (30 m) round, narrowly cylindrical steel tower with hexagonal pyramidal steel bracing, lantern and gallery; 3° Fresnel lens. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Sibling of Devils Island Light (see above), but with somewhat different bracing. Two 2-1/2 story wood keeper's house buildings. Active Coast Guard station. A winter closeup and a wider view are available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the history of the light station has been posted by Door County Maritime Museum. Located at the end of Canal Road on the north side of the canal entrance. Site open, tower usually closed but open during the Door County Lighthouse Walk in late May. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-821; USCG 7-20995.

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead Light, August 2005
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Kewaunee, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan County Lighthouses
Algoma (2): 1932 (rebuilt and raised 1908 tower; station established 1893). Active; focal plane 48 ft (14.5 m); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 42 ft (12.5 m) round cylindrical steel tower with lantern and gallery, 5° Fresnel lens (1895). The entire lighthouse is painted bright red. Fog horn (blast every 10 s) as needed. A good closeup photo is available. The lighthouse replaced an 1893 tower in 1908. Located at the end of the breakwater on the north side of the Ahnapee River entrance, off WI 42 in downtown Algoma. Good view from the foot of Lake Street on the south side of the river. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-004; USCG 7-29075.
* Kewaunee Pierhead (2): 1931 (light added to 1891 fog signal building). Active; focal plane 45 ft (13.5 m); continuous white light. 43 ft (13 m) square cylindrical steel tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a 2-story steel fog signal building. Lantern room and original 5° Fresnel lens transferred from 1891 tower. Lighthouse painted white with black trim; lantern roof is red. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) as needed. The diaphone fog signal formerly used here was restored (1995) and is in use at the Duluth (MN) South Breakwater Outer Light. Bear Huelman has a good photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located at the end of the breakwater on the south side of the Kewaunee River Entrance, three blocks east of the WI 29/WI 42 intersection in downtown Kewaunee. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1250; USCG 7-20955.
* Rawley Point (Twin Rivers Point) (1): 1874. Inactive since 1894. Brick tower, now capped by an ordinary roof and incorporated into the keeper's house for the 1894 lighthouse.
* Rawley Point (Twin Rivers Point) (2): 1894. Active; focal plane 113 ft (33.5 m); white flash every 15 s. 111 ft (33 m) octagonal pyramidal steel tower with central cylinder, lantern and gallery; twin DCB-36 aerobeacons. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. 2-1/2 story brick keeper's house, used as a vacation cottage for Coast Guard personnel, attached to the truncated 1874 lighthouse. Frame 1-1/2 story fog signal building. Bear Huelman has an excellent photo. The tower was relocated from Chicago after being exhibited at the 1893 World's Fair. Only two other lighthouses of this robust design survive (Cape Charles VA and Hillsboro Inlet FL). Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the lighthouse. Accessible by a short walk from county road O. Located in Point Beach State Forest off County Road O about 5 mi (8 km) northeast of Two Rivers. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-689; USCG 7-20935.
** Two Rivers: 1886 (rebuilt in 1928). Inactive since 1969. 36 ft (11 m) square pyramidal wood tower, the upper portion enclosed, with lantern and gallery. No keeper's house; the light was tended by Rawley Point keepers. Lighthouse painted red with a white lantern. Michael Matusinec has a closeup photo. This is the only example of a wood pierhead light surviving on the upper Great Lakes. Formerly located at the end of the harbor breakwater (the Coast Guard has a historic photo). Relocated in 1975 by the Two Rivers Historical Society as part of the Rogers Street Fishing Village. The wide lower gallery and staircase were added in 1988 to permit public access. In 2003, the exterior of the lighthouse was restored, and there are plans to restore the interior. Located on Jackson Street. just north of WI 42 on the east bank of the East Twin River in Twin Rivers. Site open (small admission fee to the Fishing Village), tower open to tours May through October. Owner/site manager: Rogers Street Fishing Village. ARLHS USA-862.

* [Sheboygan North Point (2)]: 1860 (station established 1839). Inactive since 1904. Originally a schoolhouse-style lighthouse, with square light tower at the front of thr roof of the keeper's house. No photo available. In 1916 the house was relocated as a private residence to Lighthouse Court, between North First and Second Streets, in Sheboygan. Site and tower closed, but presumably the house can be viewed from the street. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-1242.
Southeastern Wisconsin Lighthouses

**** North Point (Milwaukee) (2): 1888 (raised onto steel foundation in 1913; station established 1855). Inactive since 1994. 74 ft (23 m) octagonal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on steel foundation, original 4° Fresnel lens. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Original 2-1/2 story wood keeper's house (1855). Terry Pepper has a page with many photos and historical information. The North Point Lighthouse Friends was formed in 2002 to work for restoration of the site. The group was awarded a $984,000 grant in 2002. Restoration began in 2004 and was completed in November 2007, allowing the lighthouse to be opened to visitors. A July 2007 photo shows work in progress on the keeper's house, and a November photo shows the completed project. Located on Wahl Street at Terrace Street, just off WI 32, in Milwaukee's Lake Park; Google has a good satellite view. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Milwaukee County Parks. ARLHS USA-556.
Milwaukee Breakwater: 1926. Active; focal plane 61 ft (18.5 m); red flash every 10 s. 56 ft (17 m) square cylindrical steel tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a 2-story steel art deco keeper's quarters. The original 4° Fresnel lens (1906, transferred from pierhead light) is on display at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. The lighthouse is floodlighted throughout the night. Fog horn (2 blasts every 20 s) when needed. A July 2007 closeup photo is available, Google has a satellite view, and Lighthouse Digest has a historical account of life at the light station. Located at the end of the breakwater on the north side of the harbor. Accessible only by boat (breakwater not connected to shore). Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-497; USCG 7-20635.
* Milwaukee Pierhead (2): 1906 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 45 ft (13.5 m); red flash every 4 s. 42 ft (12.5 m) round steel tower with lantern and gallery. The original 4° Fresnel lens was transferred to Milwaukee Breakwater Light in 1926 and is now on display at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc. The 5° Fresnel lens installed in 1926 was removed in 2005; its whereabouts is unknown. Tower painted red, lantern black. A good 2007 photo is available and shows that the tower had been painted recently. Sibling of Kenosha Pierhead Light. Located at the end of the short pier at the foot of Erie Street in downtown Milwaukee, where parking is available. Google has a good satellite view. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-498; USCG 7-20670.

Racine Reef (3): 1961 (station established 1899). Active; focal plane 50 ft (15 m); white flash every 6 s. 45 ft (13.5 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower with an enclosed workroom about halfway up the tower, built on a concrete crib. Lighthouse painted white. Fog horn (blast every 15 s) when needed. Pepper has a closeup photo. This light replaced a beautifully ornate late Victorian lighthouse (1906) demolished in 1961; the Coast Guard has a historic photo. Located on a shoal about 1 mile (1.5 km) off Pershing Park in downtown Racine. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-684; USCG 7-20480.
*** Kenosha (Southport) (3): 1866 (station established 1848). Inactive as an official light since 1906, when it was replaced by the pierhead light (below); an unofficial beacon has been displayed since 1996. 300 mm lens. 52 ft (16 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 2-story brick keeper's house; 300 mm lens. The lantern is a replica (1994); the original lantern was removed in 1913. Lighthouse is unpainted; lantern painted black. The keeper's house remained in service to about 1940. A closeup photo is available. In 1989, a Lighthouse Presevation Committee was formed to coordinate restoration efforts with the City of Kenosha and the Kenosha History Center. By 1994 funds were available to replace the lantern room, and restoration of the tower has continued. The keeper's house was purchased from its private owners, and restoration of that building began in 2005. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the restoration, which was still in progress in late 2007. Terry Pepper's page has excellent information and photos. Located on Simmons Island Road north of the harbor entrance in Kenosha; Google has a satellite view. Site open, lighthouse tours from the adjacent Kenosha History Center available daily except Mondays and holidays. Owner: City of Kenosha. Site manager: Kenosha History Center. ARLHS USA-912.
* Kenosha Pierhead: 1906. Active; focal plane 50 ft (15 m); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 50 ft (15 m) round steel tower with lantern and gallery, mounted at the end of the pier; 250 mm lens. Tower painted bright red, lantern and gallery black. Originally attached to a steel fog signal building, which has been removed. Fog horn (blast every 30 s). Keepers lived at the Southport light (previous entry). A closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is a sibling of the Muskegon South Pierhead Light in Michigan. Located at the end of the pier on the north side of the harbor, at the south end of Simmons Island. Parking available onshore. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-416; USCG 7-20415.
Lake Winnebago Lighthouses
Note: Lake Winnebago empties into Green Bay through the lower Fox River. Aids to navigation on the lake are regulated by the State of Wisconsin but inspected by the Coast Guard Auxiliary. A scanned chart of the lake is available.

* [Fisherman's Road Fishing Club]: Date unknown. Active(?). Approx. 25 ft (7.5 m) round hourglass-shaped steel tower. This tower is of a type used for pierhead lights on the Great Lakes. Its original location is not known. For a number of years it stood beside the Columbia Park tower (next entry). In or about 2001 it was relocated about 3 miles (5 km) south to the Fisherman's Road Fishing Club, which has restored and repainted the tower, adding the club logo. The Shanklins have a photo of the hourglass tower when it was at Columbia Park. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Fisherman's Road Fishing Club.
* Columbia Park (Calumet Harbor): 1936. Active (maintained by Fond du Lac County); white flash every 6 s. 70 ft (21 m) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower. Originally the water tower of the Fond du Lac Table Factory, the skeletal tower was moved to this site in 1936 by the U.S. Works Project Administration as an observation tower and aid to navigation. It was restored in 1992, at a cost of $98,000, by the Columbia Park Tower Fund and Fond du Lac County. The light tower now at the Fisherman's Road Fishing Club (previous entry) formerly stood next to the skeletal tower, but was removed sometime around 2001. Located at Calumet Harbor on the southeastern shore of Lake Winnebago about 10 miles (15 km) northeast of Fond du Lac. Site and tower open. Owner/site manager: Fond du Lac County (Columbia Park).

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Dunlap Reef Range Front (1881-1924), Sturgeon Bay
Plum Island Range Front (1897-1964), Porte des Morts Passage
Manitowoc Main (1839-1877), Lake Michigan

Searchable News Archives: Green Bay News-Chronicle; Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel; Racine Journal-Times; Superior Daily Telegram

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