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An Historic Maritime Treasure

The North Point Lighthouse is an historic, maritime "treasure." It has recently been restored to its early 20th century charm through the determined efforts of a group of committed volunteers, the North Point Lighthouse Friends.

With completion of the restoration of the Keepers Quarters scheduled for fall, 2007, this historic site will soon be open to the public for tours and visits. Located in now-urban Lake Park, one of Milwaukee's first public parks, the North Point Light Station is one of the oldest structures built and still standing in the area.

For more than a century, beginning in 1855, the North Point Lighthouse stood tall, overlooking the water and beaming out its light to protect and guide ships and watercraft. Keepers and their families lived and worked at the North Point Light Station, ensuring that the bright light was broadcast through fair weather and foul. It symbolizes a time in our history when waterways were the highways between cities. Lighthouses facilitated water travel and commerce on Lake Michigan, throughout the Great Lakes and beyond.

Each year, visitors are drawn to the beauty and historical significance of Lake Park and Milwaukee's East Side vintage neighborhoods. The park itself is a remarkable jewel that was conceived in the late 1890s by Frederick Law Olmsted. Olmsted, who also designed New York's Central Park and the 1888 Chicago Exposition, was one of the 19th century's foremost American landscape architects.

The North Point Light Station consists of a 74-foot lighthouse tower and 2 1/2 story wood-frame Keeper's Quarters. It is an integral part of Lake Park and is located on a two-acre semi-wooded parcel in the heart of Lake Park. This area is nestled between two ravines extending to Lake Michigan. This iconic structure played an important role in the region's maritime trade and economic growth for more than 120 years, where it remained in use until being decommissioned in 1996.

Learn More About the History of the Lighthouse →

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