Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse

by Kay Novy

Title

Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse

Artist

Kay Novy

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

In 1882, work began on a breakwater at Milwaukee to create a harbor of refuge to afford mariners a protected anchorage during severe storms. The north arm of the breakwater starts near North Point and extends southeast for 2,450 feet before turning south and continuing another 1,000 feet. After a gap of 400 feet, the south arm of the breakwater runs another 4,500 feet.

Milwaukee Lightship on station in 1918
Photograph courtesy U.S. Coast Guard
The Lighthouse Board noted in 1899 that Congress had provided funds in March of that year for completing the breakwater and requested $75,000 for a permanent light to mark its southern end. While waiting for funding, a temporary beacon, consisting of two, five-day lens lanterns that showed a red light above a white light, was established on the breakwater.

In June 2011, Milwaukee Breakwater Lighthouse was declared excess to the needs of the United States Coast Guard and made available to eligible organizations under the provisions of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000. Qualified entities were given sixty days to submit a letter of interest and were required to obtain permission to access the lighthouse from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which owns the pier on which the lighthouse sits. Three nonprofit groups, Optima Enrichment, the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee (UWM), and Mt. Zion House, submitted an application for the lighthouse, but after a tour of the structure, UWM dropped out, and Optima Enrichment and Mt. Zion House decided to combine their efforts. In September 2013, the lighthouse was awarded to Optima Enrichment. “We are absolutely thrilled to be entrusted with the lighthouse and the restoration of this icon of our harbor,” said Randall Melchert, co-founder of Optima Enrichment. “The view of both the Milwaukee skyline as well as Lake Michigan (from the lighthouse) is a spiritual experience that we want to share with our community and tourists alike. We are hoping to open it to the public for events like Doors Open Milwaukee. We want to open it for events and sightseeing for people to appreciate the maritime history of Milwaukee.”

Uploaded

June 7th, 2017

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