Wisconsin's Great Lakes shoreline means we have a lot of great lighthouses, and since today is National Lighthouse Day I thought I'd share details about two very close to us: Wind Point Lighthouse in Wind Point just north of Racine, and the Southport Light in Kenosha, both just a short drive away and available for tours!
Wind Point Lighthouse is one of the tallest and oldest lighthouses on the Great Lakes. It reaches 108 feet above the wavy waters of Lake Michigan, helping ships navigate the coast since 1880. The original fog house, walkways to the water, and parkland surrounding the lighthouse itself are all accessible year ’round.
Tours of the lighthouse itself are available the first Sunday of the month from June through October on the half-hour from 9am to 3pm. Admission is $10 for adults and kids 12 and up; kids 6-11 are $5; children under 6 are not allowed to climb the lighthouse due to safety concerns.
The Wind Point Lighthouse is accessible via Lighthouse Road or 3 Mile Road, just east of Highway 32 north of Racine. You can also connect nearby from Highways 31 and 38.
Further south, the Southport Lighthouse reflects Kenosha’s original city name. Built in 1866, it stands 55 feet high and is the third lighthouse to stand in that location. In 2010, it opened as a maritime museum on Simmons Island at 50th Street and Lighthouse Drive/4th Avenue. Inside the original Keeper’s House you’ll find artifacts, maps, old pictures, and more information about Kenosha’s harbor, a long-important point for industrial shipping, commercial fishing, and recreation.
There are a lot of other lighthouses up and down the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior coastlines. Some notables in Door County include the Cana Island Lighthouse, celebrating its 150th anniversary near Baileys Harbor and the Rawley Point Lighthouse, just up the coast closer to Newport State Park.
There are many others, check out this guide for more on them!
Photos courtesy of StateTrunkTour.com