Wisconsin Lights - Port Washington Light Station and Pier light

Port Washington Light Station.   2/3/2018   dwm photo

The Port Washington Lighthouse is one of the highest points in this lakeside city.  It sits in the figurative shadow of its neighbor, St. Mary's Catholic Church.

The church was built in the early 1880s.  The first light lit up the night in 1849.

A second light with a dwelling was made poorly and didn't last two years.

The new one, made in 1860 with Cream City brick and reinforcements for the light was made to last.

Luxemburg created a new lantern.
dwm photo

The need for this light didn't last.  By 1903, it was decided that a pier light was good enough and the light station became a nice home for the keepers.

At some point during the 1930s, the original light and lantern were removed.  Its history nearly forgotten as it became a rooming house for keepers and Coast Guardsmen.  The Guard moved out in 1992.

In 1993, it was leased to the Port Washington Historical Society as their museum.  They owned it four years later.

Looking up at the light from below
the bluff.    2/3/18   dwm

Then a surprise.  The director of monuments in the country of Luxemburg was visiting Ozaukee County, which was home to many people whose families migrated from Luxemburg to Wisconsin.

According to the Lighthouse Friends page, Georges Calteux offered to have his country build a new lantern and tower.  The gift to recognize United States servicemen who liberated Luxemburg during World War II.

It was finished and installed in 2002, restoring a landmark and attraction.  In 2007, a new light was installed.

When our day started the goal was to get three lights.  But, when I couldn't locate the Kevich light outside Grafton, the search took us further north and we landed in Port Washington.

Those extra miles lead us to two more lights, including the Breakwater light.

The new Breakwater light was
installed in 1934.  (dwm)

Originally the breakwater light had a lantern room around the light.  Th light is water proof and storm resistant because the lantern room was removed.

In the Breakwater history, there is a photo of it with the cap.  I think it looks better.  It does speak well for the design from the 1930s that it looks in style still today.

The Breakwater light's day are over.  The Coast Guard is taking bids for ownership and the city looks to be the winner.

The simple lights don't offer as much to photograph, so I won't pursue all of them along the water.  This one spoke to me because of its history and elegant Art Deco style.

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