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LIGHTHOUSES
Throughout the ages lighthouses and the lives of those who manned them have been romanticized in novels, poems and songs. Remote and far from romantic, a lighthouse tour of duty meant hard work, long days and endless lonely stretches where the only other two-legged creature seen was the seagull. One can’t help but admire the stalwart dedication and resourcefulness of the keepers and their families, and yet... there’s just something so captivating about the lighthouse.
Lake Michigan
Algoma/Pierhead Lighthouse
End of North Pier, Algoma harbor; 920-487-2041; www.algoma.org
The Algoma Lighthouse was built in 1893 and rebuilt in 1932. The beautiful century-old red lighthouse is fully operational, but no tours are offered. Walk to the end of the pier to feed the gulls and get some great photos.
OPTION: The entire lakeshore drive along Highway 42 is exceptionally beautiful and abundantly sprinkled with picturesque harbor towns. Known as the “Salmon and Trout Capital of the Midwest,” charter fishing is an industry staple in Algoma. See the Extreme Adventures chapter for charter information. • The von Stiehl Winery is the oldest in Wisconsin. It’s located at 115 Navarino Street; guided tours are available; 800-955-5208 or 920-487-5208; www.vonstiehl.com. • Before the construction of the lighthouse, sailors used the church steeple of Saint Agnes-By-The-Lake as a landmark. It’s located at 806 4th Street (along the lake). • Algoma’s impressive Crescent Beach and Boardwalk follows the coastline from the marina to the Algoma Visitor Center at the end of town. Plan to spend a few hours here soaking up the sun and scenery; 1226 Lake Street; 920-487-2041.
Kenosha Pierhead Lighthouse & Kenosha Southport Lighthouse
The Kenosha Pierhead Lighthouse is located at the end of the Kenosha Pier and the Southport Lighthouse is on Simmons Island adjacent to the park, 50th and Lighthouse Drive (4th Avenue), Kenosha; 262-654-5770
Built in 1906, the Pierhead tower is 50' tall; no tours. The Southport Lighthouse was built in 1866. The 10-sided lantern room has a tower 55' tall. The adjacent keeper’s cottage is currently under restoration, so no tours offered as of this writing.
OPTION: Ninety percent of the Kenosha lakefront is parks, gardens, hiking trails, beaches, open-air market and fishing piers—so head to the lakefront! For 50 cents, hop on an authentic electric streetcar for a ride through Harborpark and the historic downtown. Runs daily, call for hours; 262-653-4290 or 262-653-4287. • See the bones of a 12,500-year-old woolly mammoth at the Kenosha Public Museum. Interactive exhibits, natural history, Native American artifacts, fossils, priceless art (Picasso, Renoir, Chagall) and fabulous lifelike dioramas make this museum a must on the tour list. It’s located at 5500 1st Avenue; 262-653-4140. Open daily. Call for hours. Free admission. • For more information about the area, call the Kenosha Area Convention & Visitors Bureau; 812 56th Street; 800-654-7309 or 262-654-7307; www.visitkenosha.com.
