“Majestic!” “Regal!” “Spectacular!” are just three of the adjectives Lighthouse Enthusiasts use to describe the Racine Reef Lighthouse. While this magnificent Light was lost to a wrecking ball in 1961, the Racine Reef Lighthouse was a testament to the genius of the Lighthouse Board and the Army Corps of Engineers.

History tells us the construction of the Racine Reef Lighthouse was a long time in coming. The United States Lighthouse Board made several failed attempts to light the reef that was less than 10’ below the surface at its shallowest point!

One attempt was the lighting of an auxiliary Sixth Order Fresnel Lens atop the 108’ coast light at Wind Point beaming directly at the Racine Reef. In 1869, a buoy was placed across the reef as a marker, followed up with a request for $40,000 to light the buoy. Some ten years after the initial request, the light on Wind Point was lit on November 15, 1880. In 1897, it was realized that the auxiliary lens was not sufficient to serve mariners and was replaced by a powerful locomotive headlight with a parabolic reflector.

The Lighthouse Board realized the only practical solution to lighting the reef was to place a light on the reef itself. The only obstacle was funding. The Board had determined the cost of building a manned station atop the reef would be cost prohibitive and a second attempt was made to light the reef by building a pier that would carry a tower and a Pintsch gas illuminating apparatus. On August 13,1899 after charging the gas tank for the first time, the new light was exhibited. Soon it was apparent this new light would fail.

Defeated, the Lighthouse Board, through the Secretary of the Treasury asked for $75,000 to begin construction of the 60’ tall light station with fog signal that would be manned year round. In March 1903, Captain James G. Warren, Army Corps of Engineers began with the draftsmen of the Ninth District in Milwaukee to develop plans for the new majestic light!!

Work began in 1905; a 60’ square wood crib was brought to the reef and sunk. Workers then began casting the concrete exterior of the pier and the basement engine room formed. The “Victorianesque” building consisted of a skeleton of structural steel with an exterior skin of brick. The building would have four main decks and stand 66’! There were two outer buildings, one a storage bin for the coal needed for the two steam boilers and a boathouse. No exact date for the lighting is recorded.

When the Coast Guard took control of the Lighthouse in 1939, Racine Reef was electrified.

The 1960’s were the dawning of a new age of technology, which when coupled with the escalating cost of maintenance, the decision was made to demolish this truly “Grand Dame” of Lights.