In Lake Michigan at E end of South Pier at Kewaunee River mouth, 0.5 miles E of Route 42

Summary

Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse
In Lake Michigan at E end of South Pier at Kewaunee River mouth, 0.5 miles E of Route 42, Kewaunee, Kewaunee County
Date of Construction: 1931

Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse sits upon the south pier at the confluence of the Kewaunee River and Lake Michigan at the City of Kewaunee in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. It marks the entry to the port of Kewaunee. This property was originally constructed as a fog signal building in 1909 and was converted to a lighthouse in 1931. The existing lighthouse is four stories tall. It includes the original two-story fog signal building with an integral light tower and lantern. The fog signal building is supported by a concrete foundation that sits atop the south pier. The two-story superstructure includes rooms previously used for machinery and office spaces, along with living quarters for the lighthouse keepers. The tower supports an octagonal lantern relocated in 1931 from a lighthouse that had been built at the south pierhead in 1891. The existing optic is a fifth order Fresnel lens that signals a flashing white light. A modern automated fog signal and a fog detector are mounted on the lantern gallery.

It is historically significant because of its contribution to the broad historical patterns of maritime transportation and commerce associated with Kewaunee County and Wisconsin’s state waters in Lake Michigan. Lighthouses such as this have enabled safe passage for thousands of ships and exemplify the Federal government’s role in providing a nationwide system of aids to navigation. The Kewaunee Lighthouse’s signal light, fog signal, and daymark have safely guided mariners through northern Lake Michigan waters. They have been an important enhancement to navigational safety in and around Kewaunee County for nearly seven decades.

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