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 for 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.