To assist navigation around the point into Racine harbor,
the Wind Point Lighthouse began functioning in 1880 with a
kerosene lamp, focused and magnified by a third order Fresnel lens.
Its light could be seen for 19 miles.
At 108 feet, it is one of the tallest and oldest lighthouses still
serving navigation on the Great Lakes. Its fog horns, which last
sounded in 1964, could be heard for 10 miles.
In recognition of the key role this light house has played in the
maritime history of Racine County, it was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
In 1997, the National Park Service awarded ownership of the property
to the Village of Wind Point. The Coast Guard still maintains the
light as a public navigation aid.