Kenosha's Light

Kenosha (Southport) Lighthouse    7/15/2017  dwm photo

The Kenosha Lighthouse towers 74 feet above Lake Michigan.

It was built in 1866, the first light mariners saw sailing north on Lake Michigan from Chicago. The keeper's residence followed in 1867.

The day of my visit, a wonderful volunteer was tour guide and historian.  I paid $10 to climb the tower and signed a waiver accepting responsibility in case I came to an untimely end in the 151 year old beacon.

The tower reaches
55 feet above ground.
(dwm)

When the lighthouse was built, there was no Kenosha, Wisconsin.  It was Southport, as in the the furthest south port in the state.  A few years later, the city became Kenosha.

The tower is constructed with yellow Milwaukee Cream City brick.  It is beautiful and elegant.

The guide told me about chains running inside the tower walls from the lantern room to the ground.  It worked like the cords on a cuckoo clock. When the chains were fulled pulled into place, the lantern revolved on its gears for the night.

After hearing about the Tower's history, the guide opened the doors and we walked inside.

Looking straight up the Kenosha Light tower.  (dwm)

It was amazing.

I don't claim to know a lot about lighthouses, but the view to the top of the house is the prettiest lighthouse interior I have seen.

The stairs are beautiful.

The open metal pattern on the steps winding around the center post is a work of art.

At the top is a 360-degree view around Southport Harbor and the lake.

View from the Lantern Room - the
Kenosha Pierhead Light is on the pier
(dwm)

The Light was turned off in 1906, it's Fourth Order Fresnal Lens transferred to the Kenosha Pierhead tower.  The keeper's house was home for the Coast Guard and the light keeper at the Pierhead light until the system was automated in 1940.

The city of Kenosha took ownership of the light and house in 1955.

Restoration work began in the 1990s thanks to volunteer efforts and local fundraising.  My guide was one of those faithful locals who put their blood, sweat, and tears into saving city history.

A fourth order Fresnal
lens.  (dwm)

A grand opening was celebrated in 2010.  There is a light in the lantern room again, but it is for decoration, not navigation.  In fact, you can make a gift to the Light the Lighthouse and shine your light.  Scroll to the bottom of the webpage for more information.

The Keeper's House displays what life was like for a keeper in the 19th and early 20th centuries.  There are displays about shipwrecks off shore and a fourth order Fresnal lens.  Fourth order is a smaller lens, but powerful, able to shine its light across the water.

The Lighthouse is worth the price of admission.  The house itself is a treasure trove of maritime history.  The set-up allows for a relatively quick walk around or a deep dive into the mysteries of Lake Michigan.

Kenosha Lighthouse and Keeper's Home. (dwm)

The Kenosha History Center runs the home and lighthouse.  It is generally open Thursday - Sunday from mid-May through October.

The Pierhead light is a half mile away, so plan on seeing both when you visit.

I hope you get the guide I did.  It was his life's work and passion.  I wish I had written his name down to recognize his efforts, instead he represents volunteers everywhere who preserve and protect history so we can learn our past.