North Point Lighthouse

North Point is a Milwaukee Landmark. reading about the history, the idea for it started back in 1835. Milwaukee had around ten residents then. Over the next year or so the population rose to 400. The early settlers petitioned Congress for needed improvements, and 5K was appropriated in 1837 for creating this harbor lighthouse. Over the years it’s seen many improvements to increase the tower height and various other upgrades.
Jump to now, we have this little treasure to be adored. It’s our own lighthouse right on the shore of Lake Michigan just on the outskirts of downtown. There’s nothing like taking a walk around the park or neighborhood and enjoying the views from the bluff this lighthouse has. It’s well kept and you can even go in as long as you come by at the right time, Saturdays and Sundays, throughout the year.1:00 P.M. — 4:00 P.M. Also can schedule private tours.

Loved my visit to the North Point Lighthouse. To start with, it is in such a beautiful neighborhood, in a beautiful park, with FREE street parking. Amazing view of the lake from ground level and from the tower. Super friendly staff who give mini tours as guests arrive and lots to look at in the ground floor museum for those who don’t want to climb. Learned a lot here!

The west shore of Lake Michigan features a tall bluff, varying in height but as high as 70 meters, overlooking the lake. In the mid 1800’s, the civic leaders of Milwaukee recognized the importance of preserving public space in the form of parks and began to buy up land throughout the area. One of the spots was the area that is now known as Lake Park. The significance of this site is nothing new, burial mounds of Native Americans were found here.
The U.S. Lighthouse service also recognized the value of this spot and in 1854, built the North Point Lighthouse on a two acre plat that divided the planned park area. The lighthouse you’re visiting was a new one, a little more than 100 feet southwest of a previous site because of bluff erosion, a problem that continues to this day. The city and the federal government came to an agreement in 1893 that allowed Lake Park to be developed as planned, and the lighthouse continued in operation (except for a period in the early 20^th Century) until it was decommissioned in 1994. The lighthouse is now a part of the park, it has been restored and is open for tours.
The original 1854 lighthouse tower was 39′ in height, built with bolted cast iron panels in an octagonal shape. By 1900, the trees in Lake Park were growing tall enough to block the light, so in 1907, the light was extinguished. Lake Michigan mariners were not pleased and wanted the light back on. In 1912, construction began on a new tower with a steel framework and steel outer panels. It was 35′ in height, and the original cast iron tower was then rebuilt on top of the new superstructure. The new tower, now 74′ above the ground and 160′ above the lake, went back into service on December 15, 1912 and the tower was completed in April 1913.
When you look at the tower from the outside, you can see the band that marks the transition from the steel tower to the original cast iron tower. If you take the tour, when you climb the stairway, the the transition is even more obvious.
When you visit the museum, you’ll see the 4^th Order Fresnel lens that served the tower until it was decommissioned. The four-​sided lens has two panels with bullseye lens that provided the «flash» and two panels that provided a steady beam, visible 25 miles at sea. It rotated by means of a clockwork motor that had to be rewound every 8 hours.
The Milwaukee Park Commission contracted with Frederick Law Olmsted, the noted landscape architect, to design Lake Park. (Olmsted is remembered for designing New York’s Central Park, the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the grounds of the Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate. He also designed Riverside and Washington Parks here.)
The Lion Bridges, that span the ravines that frame the lighthouse, were completed in 1897. In recent years, the bridges have been rebuilt with the brush cut away to make them more visible.
Lake Park is a wonderful place to visit on its own, but anyone who is a fan of Great Lakes lighthouses needs to come tour this sparking example of steel and cast iron lighthouse construction. It is a delightful monument to Great Lakes navigation.

If you love history, if you love Milwaukee’s history, this is a must stop. For a fin you get a great guided tour of the facility and the chance to hike on up the stairs and ladder to the very top where you’ll be greeted with an astounding view of the city and lake. That alone is worth the $ 5.
The interior and grounds have been very nicely re-​furbished and makes me questions my memories of the place being fairly run-​down after it was shuttered. It’s truly a gem.

We visited the NP Lighthouse during a recent Milwaukee Stay-​cation. For $ 5, you can tour the mini-​museum and learn about the history of lighthouses on/​around Lake Michigan near the 414 — and climb to the top (about 75 feet). The tour «guide» — stationed at the top — was incredibly knowledgeable and full of cool facts about life in the lighthouse in the 1800’s. We had to wait a bit for the «top dog» expedition but it was worth the time we spent in the museum. A stellar historic site with spectacular views and beautifully maintained grounds. While up top we witnessed a proposal, which was kind of cool to see.
Notes: No «official» bike rack, but you can tie up at the chain near the edge of the grounds. Even if you’re afraid of heights, the information in the museum section is worth a look.

Great historical site!

AUGUST 7^th IS NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE DAY. My brother and his wife were in town visiting Milwaukee for the first time and was a pretty cool coincidence we got to climb to the top for FREE (it’s normally $ 5)! It’s an amazing view of Lake Michigan and the MKE skyline from the top but if you’re afraid of heights I recommend you stay on the ground. The height is 74 feet. The last ten feet up to the observation deck is by ladder that overlooks a two story drop.
Technology has rendered the need for lighthouses obsolete. I heard one of the tour guides say this lighthouse is NOT haunted.
Frederick Law Olmstead designed the landscape around the North Point Lighthouse. Olmstead designed a massive amount of high profile projects including New York City’s Central Park.
Of course there was a band playing Gordon Lightfoot’s «The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald» — as if the band would NOT play that song.
MILWAUKEE: We have a lighthouse open to the general public within our city limits. That’s pretty cool!

We visited the North Point Lighthouse during our Milwaukee Mile Tour. It was the last stop for us. We were greeted at the desk by a friendly tour guide who challenged our four year old to climb to the top of the lighthouse. If she did she would get a certificate to take to school. She accepted the challenge. Because it was so busy there was quite a wait to get up the stairs. I don’t anticipate such a wait outside of the Milwaukee Mile Museum Tour. When we did get to the top there was a tour guide to tell us about history of the lighthouse as well as the women you lived there and tended the light.
Besides the climb to the top of the lighthouse (which sports a fantabulous view). There is a museum and gift shop.
You can rent the lighthouse for weddings and other special events. Can you imagine the photo opportunities there!
School groups may also come and learn about this era in history.
If the Lighthouse is not open at the time you stop, you can walk the grounds and enjoy the beautiful view of Lake Michigan.

Sorry to say, we stopped by the lighthouse at a time when it was not open. However, we still enjoyed walking about the grounds and admiring it’s beauty. Apparently, it’s been around since the mid 1800’s. But she really doesn’t look a day over 50. Be sure to take time to walk around the surrounding park and to take in the amazing views of Lake Michigan. It’s sure to take your breathe away.
Lighthouse tours are available Saturday and Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm. Please go and post a review to let me know what I missed. Thank you.

This is a beautiful park and the lighthouse is the icing on the cake. I have seen an old postcard of the park from years ago and can just imagine people enjoying the area back in the day.
The lighthouse has received a nice facelift around 2007 as well.

How often do you stumble upon an 1800’s light house hidden in the woods? Lake park is beautiful, this just adds a little more mystique.