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Port Washington Breakwater, WI |
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Description:
The first lighthouse to mark Port Washington was built in 1849 atop a hill overlooking the harbor. The light served to identify Port
Washington, but when the piers, which protected the harbor, were extended in the 1870s, it was decided a new light was needed to guide mariners through the narrow opening between the piers. Accordingly, a wooden tower was placed at the end of the north pier in 1889.
Improvements to the piers were made in the early 1930s, and as the wooden tower was reaching the end of its life span, a new metal art deco tower was placed at the end of the north pier atop an open-arched foundation. The light commenced operation in 1935 and was originally equipped with a fourth-order Fresnel lens. Later, the lantern room and Fresnel lens were removed, and a modern beacon facilitated the automation of the light. A modern tower also marks the end of the south pier.
Location: Located at the end of the northern breakwater in Port Washington's harbor. Latitude: 43.38527 Longitude: -87.85965 For a larger map of Port Washington Breakwater Lighthouse, click the lighthouse in the above map or get a map from: Mapquest. Travel Instructions: From Interstate 43 west of Port Washington, take exit 96 and travel east on Highway 33 for 3 miles. The road will become Grand Avenue along the way. Turn left on Franklin Street and then make a right onto Jackson Street. The breakwater starts near the end of Jackson Street. The Port Washington Breakwater Lighthouse is owned by the Coast Guard. Grounds open, tower closed. Find the closest hotels to Port Washington Breakwater Lighthouse See our List of Lighthouses in Wisconsin |
