# Milwaukee Breakwater Light

- **Country:** United States
- **Region:** Wisconsin
- **Location Text:** Milwaukee
- **Year Automated:** 1966
- **Year First Lit:** 1899 (Former) 1926 (Current)
- **Year Deactivated:** Active
- **Summary Written At:** 2026-10-19 02:22:38

The Milwaukee Breakwater Light is a lighthouse marking the entrance to the harbor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It stands at the south end of the north breakwater, about .7 miles east of the mouth of the Milwaukee River.

The square‑on‑square tower sits on a concrete foundation and is built of 1/4‑inch steel plate over a steel frame, capped with a cast‑iron lantern. Its white tower is accented by a black lantern and parapet. The tower rises 53 ft, and its light sits 67 ft above the water. A fourth‑order Fresnel lens produces a flashing red signal every 10 seconds, visible for 14 nmi. The lantern is round and the structure includes a balcony.

The present tower replaced an earlier light first lit in 1899; the current steel structure was erected and first illuminated in 1926. It was automated in 1966 and remains an active aid to navigation. The United States Coast Guard owns and operates the light. Recognized for its historic significance, the lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011 as one of the last fully enclosed breakwater lighthouses on the Great Lakes.

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milwaukee_Breakwater_Light (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)