Milwaukee Pier Head Light
By Dave Wobser

Located inside the breakwater at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on a pier at the entrance to the Milwaukee River.

Another “Lake Michigan red” conical tower, with a black walkway surrounding a black lantern room. The tower is built of eight circular steel rings that appear to telescope up. Each successive rings is slightly smaller than the one below it.

Re-Built in 1906 to replace an 1872 light, the 42-foot steel tower exhibits a Fifth Order Fresnel lens, made by Henri Le Paute of Paris, which bears the date 1877. The tower originally had a Fourth Order lens that is believed to be the lens presently in the Breakwater Light. The original lantern room had helical bar windows and is believed to the one presently on the Breakwater Light.

Visitors may walk out on the pier. Park in the lot at the end of East Erie Street. The Milwaukee Breakwater Light is also visible from this location.

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Photograph by Dave Wobser

• Another view of the light - Dave Wobser

• Another View - Alan Culley