Let The Lighthouses of
Northeast Wisconsin Shine The Way
“I can think of no other edifice constructed by man as altruistic as a lighthouse. They were built only to serve.”
~ George Bernard Shaw
Lake Michigan is home to over 50 beautiful lighthouses and you can find five of them on the Scenic HWY 42 stretch of the Lake Michigan Circle tour. Some you can visit up close and personal, others are only viewable from a distance, but all share a brave and storied history that is an important part of the harbor towns they were erected to protect.
Add some fun to your HWY 42 Wisconsin lighthouse journey by joining the U.S. Lighthouse Society’s Passport Club! Membership is free and you can purchase a passport from the Society’s Keeper’s Locker or at many of the participating stamp locations.
Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse
Constructed in 1839 the Manitowoc Breakwater Light was the first light to mark the harbor entrance.
In 2010 the lighthouse was purchased with the new owner painting and restoring the exterior of the lighthouse in 2018.
The light is located at the end of the breakwater on the north side of the harbor next to the Manitowoc Marina.
The Breakwater Light makes for a nice stroll on a summer day, and is a favorite place to take photos.
Directions: From Interstate 43 southwest of Manitowoc, take Exit 149 and follow Highway 151 to downtown Manitowoc. Highway 151 will eventually become Washington Street, from which you will turn left onto 8th Street and cross the Manitowoc River. Just after the river, turn right onto Maritime Drive and follow it to the marina.
Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse
Stamp location: Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Drive Manitowoc, WI 54220. 920-684-0218.
Open: See website for seasonal hours.
Available by mail? Yes, with SASE and donation. Sells passports? Yes
Rodgers Street Lighthouse
Built in 1886, Two Rivers North Pierhead was relocated in 1975 from its original position at the end of the Two Rivers Harbor breakwater.
Displayed now at Rogers Street Fishing Village in Two Rivers, the light is the only example of a wood pierhead light surviving on the Upper Great Lakes.
Directions: From Manitowoc, head north on HWY 42 (Maritime Dr to Memorial Dr.) Continue on HWY 42 to Two Rivers. Turn right onto Jackson St. Destination will be on the right.
Two Rivers North Pierhead Lighthouse
Stamp location: Rogers Street Fishing Village, 2102 Jackson Street, Two Rivers, WI. (920) 793-5905.
Available by mail? Yes, with SASE & donation: RSFV, PO Box 33, Two Rivers, WI 54241
Sells passports? Yes
Visit website for hours.
Rawley Point Lighthouse
Named after one of the first settlers in Manitowoc County Peter Rawley, Rawley Point Lighthouse at Point Beach State Forest is among the brightest signals on the Great Lakes rising 113 feet above the water.
The lights is located just five miles north ofTwo Rivers on County Road O.
Tours are not available, however great views can be seen from a trail at Point Beach State Forest.
Directions: From Rogers Street Lighthouse in Two Rivers, from Jackson St.turn right on HWY 42 (22nd St.). Head north on HWY 42 about 2 miles, turn right on Viceroy Rd, turn left on County O and drive about 2 miles and Point Beach State Forest park entrance road will be on your right.
Alternate Route: From Rogers Street Lighthouse in Two Rivers, from Jackson St.turn right on HWY 42 (22nd St.). Stay on 22nd St. which turns into Sandy Bay Rd (County O) for about 4 miles, Point Beach State Forest park entrance road will be on your right.
An annual park sticker or trail pass is required to visit Wisconsin state parks. You can purchase a sicker online on the DNR website.
Rawley Point Lighthouse
Stamp location: Point Beach State Park, 9400 County Highway O, Two Rivers, WI 54241; (920) 794-7480.
Available by mail? Yes, with SASE & donation.
Donations go toward improving lighthouse access (lighthouse owned by Coast Guard).
Sells passports? No
Visit website for more information
Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse
The Kewaunee Lighthouse is located on the south pier and on the north pier is a navigation marker.
In June 2019, the Fresnel lens was removed and replaced with an LED beacon. The Fresnel lens is now on display in the Kewaunee County Historical Society’s History Center.
The house is currently owned by the City of Kewaunee and plans are underway to restore the lighthouse to its original grandeur.
Directions: From Two Rivers, go north on HWY 42 about 24 miles to Ellis St. (Rt 29) in Kewaunee. Turn right on Ellis St.
Kewaunee Pierhead
Stamp location: The Lighthouse Shop, 705 N. Main St, Hwy 42, Kewaunee, WI 54216. (920) 388-3565.
Available by mail? Yes. The Kewaunee stamp is available all year and the Algoma stamp is available in the
off season. Both require SASE & donation mailed to The Lighthouse Shop.
Sells passports? Yes
Website
Algoma Pierhead Lighthouse
Algoma’s ‘Lady in Red’ is still in operation from the north pier and serves as a favorite backdrop for photos.
In June of 2014 the lighthouse received a fresh coat of paint and in June 2019, the 5th order Fresnel Lens was removed and placed in the North Point Lighthouse Museum in Milwaukee, where they have a 4th and 6th order lens. The lens was replaced with LED lights which are less expensive and more easily maintained.
There is no direct access to the lighthouse by the general public, but it is clearly visible from the moment you drive over the hill into town.
Directions: From Kewaunee, go north on HWY 42 about 10 miles. The lighthouse will be visible as you approach the center of town. There is ample parking on HWY 42 along Crescent Beach.
Algoma Lighthouse
Stamp location Mid-May to mid-October: Harbor Inn, 99 Michigan Street, Algoma, WI 54201; (920) 487-5241.
Available by mail? No, not during this season. Sells passports? No
Stamp location during off season: The Lighthouse Shop 705 N. Main St, Hwy 42, Kewaunee, WI 54216; (920) 388-3565.
Available by mail? Yes, in the off season only with SASE & donation mailed to The Lighthouse Shop.
Sells passports? No
Scenic HWY 42 Communities
Manitowoc
Stroll the riverwalk to Lake Michigan or check out Manitowoc's 8th Street Historic District.
Two Rivers
A community defined by water where the scenic East & West Twin Rivers meet at a sandy point extending into Lake Michigan.
Kewaunee
Experience some of the best fishing on Lake Michigan, take a stroll through the Marquette Historic District, or relax on the beach.
Algoma
Reel in the big one on Lake Michigan, stroll the sand beach & boardwalk, or relax with a glass of wine after a day of shopping.