The Kewaunee Pierhead lighthouse is a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

located near Kewaunee in

Kewaunee County Kewaunee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,563. Its county seat is Kewaunee. The county was created in 1852 and organized in 1859. Its Menominee name is ''Kewāneh'', an ar ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

. The lighthouse looks nearly identical to the Holland Harbor Lighthouse, except that it is colored white.

History

The original light marking the entrance to Kewaunee was established in 1889 on the North pier. In 1912, the current South pier was built. The lighthouse was built as an open frame tower with a fog signal building immediately behind it, connected by a 2nd floor corridor. The tower was equipped with a fifth order

Fresnel lens A Fresnel lens ( ; ; or ) is a type of composite compact lens (optics), lens which reduces the amount of material required compared to a conventional lens by dividing the lens into a set of concentric annular sections. The simpler Dioptrics, d ...

and the fog signal building supplied compressed air to a 10" diameter chime fog whistle, manufactured by Crosby Steam Gauge and Valve Company. In 1919, the compressed air whistle was replaced by a compressed air Type F

Diaphone The diaphone is a noisemaking device best known for its use as a foghorn: It can produce deep, powerful tones, able to carry a long distance. Although they have fallen out of favor, diaphones were also used at some fire stations and in other situ ...

fog horn A foghorn or fog signal is a device that uses sound to warn vehicles of navigational hazards such as rocky coastlines, or boats of the presence of other vessels, in foggy conditions. The term is most often used in relation to marine transport. ...

. A 1972 recording of the fog horn was inducted into the

National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservation ...

in the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

in 2005. In 1931, the open frame tower was removed a tower was built out of the roof of the fog signal building, giving the lighthouse the appearance it has now. The old open frame tower was later reconstructed as the Chicago Harbor Southeast Guidewall Lighthouse, where it still stands today. The lighthouse was automated in 1981. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 2022.

Current status

The City of Kewaunee was granted ownership of the lighthouse in September 2011, as part of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA). The Friends of the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse was established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and works to raise funds to restore the lighthouse. The Fresnel lens remained until June 6, 2019, when it was replaced with a Vega Industries VLB-44 LED light. The US Coast Guard maintains the light and the electronic fog horn. The Fresnel lens was moved and placed on display at the Kewaunee County History Center located at 217 Ellis St. The lighthouse is in the process of being restored and is occasionally open for tours.

Gallery

File:Kewaunee Lighthouse 1914.jpg, The configuration of the lighthouse from 1912 - 1931, with an open frame tower and the fog signal building behind it. This photo was taken in 1914 when the fog signal was a 10" diameter compressed air whistle File:USCGkewauneeSep.JPG, The configuration of the lighthouse from 1912 - 1931, with an open frame tower and the fog signal building behind it. This photo was taken between 1919 and 1930 when the fog signal was a compressed air diaphone. File:USCGkewauneeIncorp.JPG, The lighthouse as seen after the tower was built into the roof of the fog signal building. This change occurred in 1931 and left the lighthouse looking as it does today. This image was taken in the 1950s, prior to the pier being widened and capped. File:Kewaunee Lighthouse 1965.jpg, Kewaunee Lighthouse in 1965 at the completion of the pier widening and capping project. The dual diaphones are visible as well as the Fresnel Lens. File:Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse Lens.jpg, The 5th order Fresnel Lens in Kewaunee's Pierhead lighthouse sees one of its last sunsets before being removed from the tower File:Kewaunee Lighthouse LED Light.jpg, The new 5 tier LED (Vega VLB-44) light installed by the US Coast Guard on June 6, 2019 File:KewauneeLight.jpg File:Kewaunee Lighthouse flyover.webm

References

External links

Friends of the Kewaunee Pierhead LighthouseAerial photographs of Kewaunee Pierhead Light at Marinas.com.Lighthouse Friends
* * * {{authority control Lighthouses completed in 1931 Buildings and structures in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin Tourist attractions in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin 1931 establishments in Wisconsin National Register of Historic Places in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin

History

Current status

Gallery

References

Further reading

External links