Michigan - St. Joseph North Pierhead and Inner Lighthouses

These lighthouses are located at St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, Michigan along the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the St. Joseph River. The outer light was built in 1906 and then in 1907 the inner light. The distance of these lights from each other and their height was made to create a range light situation. The tower of the inner light is 57 feet tall, and the lower portion of the tower contains a fog signal. The tower of the outer light is 35 feet tall. At the time of my visit to these lighthouses in 1998, the catwalk and pier were closed to the public.

Michigan - South Haven Pierhead Lighthouse

The South Haven S. Pierhead Lighthouse is located at the entrance of the Black River and Lake Michigan. It was built in 1903 to replace a wooden lighthouse. This one stands 37 feet tall and is made of cast iron. The walkway (catwalk) was built above the pier in 1925 to enable the keeper to access the lighthouse in bad weather. The keepers house was located on shore. This catwalk is one of only four that remained in Michigan at the time of my visit here in 1998. The lighthouse is painted red with a black top, although my picture does not show these colors due to direction of the sun and shadow on the tower.

Indiana - Old Michigan City Lighthouse

This lighthouse is located in Michigan City, Indiana and is now a museum. The original lighthouse was built in 1837 but later replaced by this one in 1858. This lighthouse was constructed using Joliet stone for the foundation and Milwaukee brick for the super structure. On the north end of the lighthouse was the lantern which housed a fixed light with a Fresnel lens. The light could be seen for 15 miles. Originally, sperm oil fueled the beacon. In all kinds of weather the lighthouse keeper had to climb to the lantern room twice each night at dusk and midnight, then trim the wick, polish the reflectors, and recharge the fuel source with lard oil or kerosene. In cold weather the lard would sometimes congeal before reaching the light and this meant a return trip for the keeper after it was reheated. At daybreak the process was repeated and the light extinguished. Then, in 1887 the light atop the lighthouse was kept lit year round rather than only during the shipping season which was from April to November.

The lighthouse which also served as the keepers living quarters was remodeled in 1904 and enlarged by adding two rooms to each floor on the north side. This resulted in duplex apartments and enabled the keeper and his family to using all three floors on the east, and the assistant keeper to use those rooms on the west.

On October 20, 1904 the lantern was moved to Michigan City's harbor light where its beacon was seen until removal in 1980. At the time of my visit to this lighthouse / museum in 1998, the original Fresnel Lens was on display in the museum.

Indiana - Michigan City East Pier Lighthouse

This lighthouse is located on Lake Michigan in Washington Park of Michigan City, Indiana. It sets offshore in front of the Michigan City Lighthouse which is a museum. The lighthouse was built in 1904 and sets at the end of a 2,276 foot pier built in 1903. The lower half of the lighthouse contains a fog signal which was installed about a year after construction of the lighthouse. The light was automated in 1960. The focal plane of the light is 55 feet above the lake. At the time of my visit in 1998 the lighthouse and catwalk were closed to the public.

Illinois - Grosse Point Lighthouse

The Grosse Point Lighthouse is located in Evanston, IL and was built in 1873. This light is almost hidden among the surrounding houses and trees. The brick tower stands 90 feet tall. A French fur trader named the lighthouse in the eighteenth century. The adjoining duplex keeper's dwelling and two brick fog signal buildings were added in 1880. Focal plane of the light is 121 feet above the lake. The light was converted to electricity in 1935 and later automated. At the time of my visit to the lighthouse in 2002, the lantern room housed a second order lens and the lighthouse was still active.

Wisconsin - Rockwell Lighthouse

The Rockwell (Brays Point) Lighthouse was built in 1911 and is located on Lake Winnebago at Oshkosh, WI. William Bray tried to convince the government to erect a lighthouse on the point where the Fox River empties into the lake. He built the lighthouse with his own funds, and assumed the cost of upkeep and the responsibility of keeping the light lit. The lighthouse was a part of Mr. Bray's private harbor improvements and his own pleasure boats. He transformed the entire point into a showplace where he entertained friends and colleagues. President William Howard Taft once visited here. The beacon was considered a government licensed light, however, after 1917, when commercial use became substantial, the government then realized the importance of the light and did pay its expenses for a time.

The privately owned and operated light is in a residential area. The beacon operates year round and is controlled by a photo sensor that automatically turns the light on, day or night, when the sky darkens. The owners are listed with the U.S. Coast Guard as the official lighthouse keepers.

This lighthouse is one of the most ornate of all Wisconsin lights, with white and cream colored stucco walls and delicate black ironwork. Numerous windows line the tower and a short staircase leads to a doorway at the light's base. During the late 1950's the light was turned off and the tower fell into disrepair for a number of years. The light was restored and re-lit in the summer of 1986 by the owners of the property. At the time of my visit to the lighthouse in 2002, this was an active lighthouse.

Wisconsin - Neenah Lighthouse

The Neenah Lighthouse is located in Kimberly Point Park, Lake Winnebago, Neenah Point, WI. At the time of my visit in 2002 the lighthouse was privately maintained. The light's focal plane was 40 feet above the lake. The base of the 40 foot hexagonal brick tower incorporated public restrooms.

Wisconsin - Fond Du Lac (Range Front) Lighthouse

This lighthouse is located in the Fond Du Lac Yacht Harbor, Lake Winnebago, Fond Du Lac, WI. Translated it means "end of the lake". This decorative eight-sided light tower is a picturesque landmark well know to Fond Du Lac. The locals know the light as Lakeside Park Lighthouse. The structure replaced an ordinary red light that previously marked the harbor entrance.

The lighthouse was the brainchild of a Fond Du Lac lumberman W.J. Nuss and was built entirely with donated building materials and private funds. The cornerstone was laid in 1933. The white, Cape Cod style tower stands approximately 66 feet tall and measures 12 feet in diameter. The base is composed of stone. Funds to purchase the light to top the tower were raised by the local yacht club. A stairway allows the public to climb to the open walkway atop the tower. The observation platform is 44 feet from the ground, but in the early 1960's the tower was closed to the public as it was deemed unsafe. Then in 1967 it was saved through repairs, and restored in 1993.

Boaters utilize the red light atop the white tower by lining it up with a light behind the boathouses, similarly to a range light system. At the time of my visit in 2002 the light was operational during the boating season, May - Oct.