Year first lit 1836 Deactivated Active Opened 1839 Range 12,964 m Added to NRHP 20 April 1979 | Automated 1966 Foundation Stone Height 12 m Area 8,094 m² Material Limestone | |
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Address Pottawatomie Lighthouse, Washington, WI 54246, USA Similar Pilot Island Light, Chambers Island Light, Plum Island Range Li, Sherwood Point Light, Baileys Harbor Range Li | ||
Wpt in wisconsin pottawatomie lighthouse tour
Pottawatomie Lighthouse, also known as the Rock Island Light, is located in Rock Island State Park, on Rock Island in Door County, Wisconsin. Lit in 1836, it is the oldest light station in Wisconsin and on Lake Michigan. It was served by civilian light keepers from 1836 to the 1940s, at which point it was taken over by the US Coast Guard.
Contents
- Wpt in wisconsin pottawatomie lighthouse tour
- Elliot and gale pottawatomie lighthouse tour
- History
- Getting there
- References
Elliot and gale pottawatomie lighthouse tour
History
The first lighthouse on the spot was a structure built in 1836. It was demolished in the late 1850s and replaced by the existing lighthouse. The current building was first lit in 1858 and continued as an active aid to navigation until 1988, when it was replaced with a modern skeletal tower and automated system.
It is the oldest lighthouse in Door County.
The lighthouse was restored by the Friends of Rock Island Lighthouse. It is open for tours during the summer as the Pottawatomie Lighthouse Museum. The lighthouse has been restored to a state illustrating its appearance circa 1882-1910. The restoration was performed with the help from the non-profit Friends Of Rock Island State Park. It now serves as a museum that is open for tours daily from Memorial Day to Columbus Day 10am to 4pm.
The lighthouse was listed as Pottawatomie Lighthouse in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, as reference #79000074. The fresnel lens, lost after the lighthouse was shut down in the late 1980s, was replaced by a plexiglass copy in 1999.
Getting there
Door County has the most lighthouses of any Wisconsin county.
Visiting Rock Island requires a commitment of at least a day, and is as difficult as any location in Wisconsin. It is said to be worth the trip.
In the Door Peninsula: Highway 42 north to its terminus at the Northport Ferry pier. Book passage on the Washington Island Ferry Line's car ferry "SS Robert Noble" for a thirty-minute crossing to Washington Island. The trip offers distant views of Pilot Island, Plum Island and Detroit Island.
Upon arrival at Washington Island, drive north on Lobdell Point Road, which becomes Main Road. Take Main Road north, thence right on Jackson Harbor Road. Follow Jackson Harbor until you reach its end at the Rock Island Ferry dock. Park your vehicle.
Board the Rock Island Ferry. Vehicles are not allowed, and this is solely a passenger ferry named "Karfi" for the 15 minute trip to Rock Island. You will have to follow trails for about a mile or more. Ask for directions. "When encountering any branches in the trail along the way, always take the left branch, staying atop the bluff to the lighthouse."
On Rock Island only backpack camping is permitted. Few overnight accommodations are on Washington Island.