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Lighthouse History

1851   Present two-acre site from Wahl Avenue to the lakeshore was acquired by the U.S. Lighthouse Service for a cost of $1000.

1855   Original North Point Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters were built of cream city brick and officially opened November 22, 1855. The 28-foot tower built on the bluff put the elevation of the beacon 107 feet above water, the highest on the Great Lakes. A Milwaukee Sentinel article at that time reported that the lens in the lighthouse was a Fourth Order Fresnel lens manufactured by Barbier, Benard & Turenne of Paris.

1868   The original lens was replaced and the lantern room rebuilt. Most likely the new lens was also a Fourth Order Fresnel lens by the same manufacturer.

1870s   When shore erosion caused 16 feet of the Lighthouse’s front yard to break loose and drop to the beach, the government decided to build a new lighthouse 100 feet inland.

1886   On August 4, Congress approved $15,000 to build the present Lighthouse and frame the Keeper’s Quarters.

1888   Construction was completed December 20, 1887, and the new tower was lighted on the night of January 10, 1888. The new Lighthouse was built with a 39-foot high octagon shaped structure constructed entirely of bolted cast iron sections. The 1868 lens was placed in the new Lighthouse. The present Keeper’s Quarters were built by 1888.

1893   Lake Park was being designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, premier 19th Century American landscape architect. North Point Lighthouse, surrounded by two acres of land, divided Lake Park into two sections. Before Lake Park could be freely traversed by carriage road, the park commissioners had to obtain permission from the federal government in Washington D.C. In 1893, efforts led by the commissioners and Wisconsin Senator John L. Mitchell resulted in permission to complete the Olmsted plan without disturbing the Lighthouse’s function. This allowed a carriage road and two bridges to be built east of the Lighthouse.

1900   Trees growing in Lake Park along the shore began to obscure the light from mariners on Lake Michigan.

1907   On June 30, an Act of Congress stopped funding for the Lighthouse and the light was turned off. The reason given was difficulty seeing the light. August 20, 1907, the Merchants and Manufacturers Association of Milwaukee met with Major William V. Judson of the United States Engineering Corps to consider action to put the light back in operation and maintain it privately.

1909   On March 4, an appropriation of $10,000 was included in a sundry civil bill to raise the tower. The Lighthouse board restored operation of the light.

1912   Work began in July to build a 35-foot steel structure next to the old Lighthouse. When the steel structure was finished, the old light tower with its 1868 lens was reassembled on top of the new structure, making the tower 74-feet high. The work was sufficiently completed to allow the light to be placed back into service on December 15. In April 1913, the work was finished under budget at a cost of $9,455.

1913   On July 1, the mineral oil illuminate was changed to coal gas.

1929   The gas illuminate was changed from city gas to electricity.

1980   North Point Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters were placed on the National Register of Historic Lighthouses.

1984   North Point Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters were placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1994   The Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters are taken out of service by the U.S. Coast Guard, and the 1868 Fresnel lens was removed and stored by the U.S. Coast Guard at Milwaukee.

1996   Community organizations in Milwaukee laid the groundwork for restorations and begin planning for appropriate use of the Lighthouse, Keeper’s Quarters and bluff-top site.

1997   Milwaukee County Parks Department applied to the U.S. National Park Service and General Services Administration to acquire the site for historic preservation and park purposes.

1999   Milwaukee County approved the grant of an option to lease the Lighthouse, Keeper’s Quarters and bluff top site to Water Tower Preservation Fund Inc.

2000   Fund raising efforts began for historic restoration of the Lighthouse and historic renovation of the Keeper’s Quarters.

2002   On January 15, North Point Lighthouse Friends, Inc. was incorporated.

2002   North Point Lighthouse Friends, with Milwaukee County as sponsor, apply for and obtain Transportation Enhancement Funding for restoration costs.

2003   Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources accepted and granted closure for lead in soil clean up on Lighthouse grounds. United States Government transfers ownership of the Lighthouse to Milwaukee County.

2003   On October 13th, the US Coast Guard officially transferred ownership of the 2-acre lighthouse property to Milwaukee County, making it formally and permanently part of Lake Park.

2003   July 21 - Milwaukee County Board accepts Transportation Enhancement funding and commits to complete the restoration. North Point Lighthouse Friends commits to raise 20% local matching funds.

2004   March 10th - North Point Lighthouse Friends exercise option for long term lease of lighthouse and grounds from Milwaukee County.

2004   April – Milwaukee County and North Point Lighthouse Friends begin design phase of restoration.

2006   February - Lighthouse tower restoration completed.

2007   Restoration of lighthouse keeper’s quarters begun.

North Point Lighthouse Friends Research Committee, May 2007

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