Information
Landmark: Kewaunee Pierhead LighthouseCity: Green Bay
Country: USA Wisconsin
Continent: North America
Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse, Green Bay, USA Wisconsin, North America
Overview
Perched at the tip of Kewaunee’s south pier, the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse stands as a historic beacon on Lake Michigan, its red steel catching the morning light, moreover it marks the entrance to Kewaunee Harbor, guiding ships past the breakwater and into the channel with steady, reliable light.This lighthouse still guides ships through rough waters, yet it’s more than a beacon-it’s a century-timeworn sentinel of the coast, rich in history and graceful in its architecture, in turn back in 1889, Kewaunee set up its first navigational light on the north pier, its glow cutting through the evening mist.Today’s Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse began life in 1912 as a squat fog signal building, its horn once echoing across the crisp, gray waves, therefore in 1931, workers transformed the building into a lighthouse by adding a tall tower and a glass-paned lantern room, giving it the striking silhouette you can still spot against the sky today.In 1981, the lighthouse was automated, ending the era of a keeper living on site; the U, to boot s.Coast Guard still tends the light and keeps the fog signal ready for heavy seas, moreover in 2022, the lighthouse and its weathered pier earned spots on both the National and State Registers of Historic Places, honoring their long-standing role in guiding ships and powering local trade, slightly Mind you, The lighthouse stands square and solid, built from steel and brick, with a weathered wood-frame crown at its top, also this blend showcases early 20th-century lighthouse craftsmanship, built to last and to work-thick stone walls holding steady against wind and spray.Curiously, Rising about 43 feet, the lighthouse towers over the shore, giving ships on Lake Michigan a clear view-even on hazy mornings, likewise lighting Equipment: The lighthouse first relied on a fifth-order Fresnel lens, a precise, gleaming glass design that pushed the beam far across the dusky water.In 2019, they swapped it out for a sleek Vega Industries VLB‑44 LED light, a modern upgrade that’s far more dependable and needs little upkeep, after that you can still notice the original Fresnel lens, its glass catching the light, on display at the Kewaunee County History Center, to some extent The lighthouse stands at the very end of the south pier, about a quarter mile out, where the wind off Lake Michigan smells faintly of salt and steel, moreover you can reach it by strolling down the pier, where the water glints in the sunlight and the harbor stretches out beside the lake.The stroll’s a favorite pastime, perfect for snapping photos, spotting herons gliding over the water, and soaking up the calm lakeside air, in turn the pier and lighthouse aren’t wheelchair-friendly, so be ready for rough, uneven boards underfoot and weather that can shift in a heartbeat.There aren’t any restrooms on the pier or inside the lighthouse, so plan ahead before you amble out past the salt-stained railings, in addition when the weather turns warm, the Friends of the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse-a nonprofit devoted to preserving and sharing its history-welcome visitors with guided tours and lively special events, sometimes with the scent of lake air drifting through the crowd.On these tours, visitors step inside the lighthouse to discover its history, admire its weathered stone walls, and understand how it once guided ships safely through the fog, to boot public tours run from late spring to early fall, with hours from 10 a.m, loosely To 4 p.m, as a result on certain days-when the gardens smell faintly of fresh cut grass.We’re asking for donations to help cover upkeep and educational programs-about $5 for adults and $3 for kids, roughly the price of a cup of coffee, also you can book a private tour for your group, just make sure to reserve ahead and bring a minute donation-think the price of a couple of cups of coffee.Now and then, you can catch a foghorn demonstration or join a harbor roam, each giving you a close-up behold at maritime navigation and a taste of the area’s history, furthermore the City of Kewaunee took over the lighthouse in 2011 and has worked steadily to restore and stabilize it; in 2015, a $4.2 million grant helped fund harbor repairs and the first steps toward securing the timeworn beacon against the wind and waves.In 2017, crews replaced the brittle vintage asphalt roof with sturdy metal, fixed or swapped out rotting wood beams, and fitted crisp modern storm windows to shield the rooms inside, simultaneously workers are restoring the lighthouse’s interior, sanding antique wood and repairing worn beams, to help preserve it for generations as a treasured historic landmark.These efforts show how deeply the community cares about keeping the lighthouse-a white tower against the blue bay-as both a proud emblem of Kewaunee’s maritime past and a setting where future generations can learn its stories, in conjunction with at the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse, visitors soak in the charm of its weathered red walls while the lake stretches out in a sweep of blue, moderately Walking along the pier, you can take in sweeping views of Lake Michigan and watch boats slip in and out of the harbor, their horns echoing across the water, what’s more though petite, the lighthouse rises dazzling against the lakeside sky, its white walls catching the sun, and draws both photographers and history lovers to its side, maybe You can step inside the lighthouse during tours, but be ready for whatever the weather throws at you-the pier’s out in the open, slick with sea spray on damp days and whipped by gusts that tug at your coat, as well as the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse stands as a key chapter in Wisconsin’s Great Lakes story, its red roof shining against the sweep of water and sky.With its weathered brick tower, stunning lakeshore setting, and a community that’s fought to keep it alive, it’s a must-perceive for anyone drawn to lighthouses, maritime history, or wandering the water’s edge, besides the lighthouse still guides ships safely to shore, its beam cutting through the mist, while standing as a beloved cultural landmark in Kewaunee.
Author: Tourist Landmarks
Date: 2025-10-07
