National or State Registers Record
Milwaukee Harbor entry north pier, SE corner of H.W. Maier Festival Park
National Register or State Register
NAMES
Historic Name: Milwaukee Pierhead Light
Reference Number: 12000971
PROPERTY LOCATION
Location (Address): Milwaukee Harbor entry north pier, SE corner of H.W. Maier Festival Park
County: Milwaukee
City/Village: Milwaukee
Township:
SUMMARY
Milwaukee Pierhead Light
Milwaukee Harbor entry, north pier, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
Date of construction: 1906
Architect: Office of the Engineer, Ninth Lighthouse District
The Milwaukee Pierhead Light is a 42 foot tall, steel conical tower lighthouse established as an aid to navigation in 1906. It stands atop the offshore end of the north pier at the entry to Milwaukee harbor from Lake Michigan. The light tower is built of eight courses of curved steel plates, each approximately three feet tall and fastened with rivets. Each successive course has a slightly smaller diameter, giving the tower a slightly tapering profile.
The nearby Breakwater Light's resident keepers maintained the Pierhead Light until 1966, when the Pierhead Light was automated. While automated, the light continues its role aiding mariners by marking the port's entry channel and the lighthouse continues as a reminder of the City of Milwaukee’s historical role as one of Lake Michigan's most important commercial ports.
PROPERTY FEATURES
Period of Significance: 1906-1966
Area of Significance: Engineering
Area of Significance: Maritime History
Area of Significance: Transportation
Applicable Criteria: Architecture/Engineering
Applicable Criteria: Event
Historic Use: Transportation: Water-Related
Architectural Style: No Style Listed
Resource Type: Structure
Architect: Office of the Engineer, Ninth Lighthouse District
DESIGNATIONS
Historic Status: Listed in the National Register
National Historic Landmark Listing Date:
National Register Listing Date: 2012-11-21
State Register Listing Date:
NUMBER OF RESOURCES WITHIN PROPERTY
Number of Contributing Buildings: 0
Number of Contributing Sites: 0
Number of Contributing Structures: 1
Number of Contributing Objects: 0
Number of Non-Contributing Buildings: 0
Number of Non-Contributing Sites: 0
Number of Non-Contributing Structures: 1
Number of Non-Contributing Objects: 0
RECORD LOCATION
How to Cite
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- National Register of Historic Places Citation
- National Register of Historic Places, "Historic Name", "Town", "County", "State", "Reference Number".