To assist navigation around the point into Racine harbor, the Wind Point lighthouse began functioning in 1880 with a kerosene lamp, focused and magnified by a third order Fresnel lens. Its light could be seen from 19 miles.

At 108 feet, it is one of the tallest and oldest lighthouses still serving navigation on the Great Lakes. Its fog horns, which last sounded in 1964, could be heard for 10 miles.

In recognition of the key role this lighthouse has played in the maritime history of Racine County, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

in 1997, the National Park Service awarded ownership of the property to the village of Wind Point. The coast guard still maintains the light as a public navigation aid. The keeper's house is occupied by resident caretakers, but part of the building is used as a town meeting hall. A fund drive was launched in 1999 by Friends of Wind Point Lighthouse to provide for renovation of the tower. A project in 2000 restored the exterior of the lantern and provided landscaping improvements.


ARLHS Number: USA-894
USCG Number: 7-20605
Build: 1880
Construction: brick
Height: 34 m