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Pottawatomie Lighthouse, also known as the Rock Island Light, is a lighthouse 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.

Pottawatomie Light

Potawatomi Lighthouse 2004
Location	Rock Island, Door County, Wisconsin
Coordinates	45°25′39″N 86°49′41″W[1][2]
Tower
Constructed	1836
Foundation	Stone
Construction	Limestone
Automated	1966
Height	41 feet (12 m)[3]
Shape	Square, integral with keeper house[4]
Markings	natural with black lantern
Heritage	National Register of Historic Places listed place
Light
First lit	1836
Deactivated	1988
Focal height	159 feet (48 m)[5]
Lens	Fresnel lens
Range	7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi)[1]
Characteristic	Fl W 4s 159 Light is obscured from 275° to 020° by dense foliage[6]
Pottawatomie Lighthouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Nearest city	Washington Island, Wisconsin
Area	2 acres (0.81 ha)
NRHP reference No.	79000074[7]
Added to NRHP	April 20, 1979

History

The first lighthouse on the spot was a 1.5 story house and 30' detached tower built in 1836. Due to poor construction, it was replaced by the existing lighthouse in 1858. The original tower and dwelling were demolished in subsequent years. 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.[8]

It is the oldest light station in Door County,[9] which has the most lighthouses of any Wisconsin county.[10]

The lighthouse was restored by the Friends of Rock Island Lighthouse.[10] 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 1909-1913. The restoration was performed with the help from the non-profit Friends Of Rock Island State Park.[11] 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.

The original (1836) privy still stands on the grounds and is the oldest structure in Door County.

Gallery

References

Further reading

External links

• Media related to Pottawatomie Lighthouse at Wikimedia Commons
• Pottawatomie Light on the World List of Lights
• Friends of Rock Island State Park - official site
• Door County lighthouses at Door County Maritime Museum (Archived July 29, 2012)
• NPS Inventory of Historic Light Stations (Archived August 25, 2012)
• Lighthouse friends
• Lighthouse Docent Documentary produced by Wisconsin Public Television

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