Milwaukee's first lighthouse was erected in 1837 on a 56 foot bluff
at the east end of Wisconsin Ave. It was replaced in 1855 by a 28 foot
tower 100 feet east of the present location. Erosion forced rebuilding
in the 1870's and relocation inland. Construction was entirely of
bolted cast iron sections. In 1912, a steel plate lower section was
built and the iron tower placed on top, giving the light a height of
160 feet above the lake.
The first lantern burned mineral oil. A new lens, installed in 1868,
is still in use. The present light source is a 25,000 candlepower lamp
rotated electrically and controlled by an automatic time clock. The lens
focuses a 1,300,000 candlepower signal visible for 25 miles.