The lighthouses were built on the breakwater that protects the Chicago Harbor.
The first lighthouse at the mouth of the Chicago River was built in 1832. But it fell over when it reached a height of fifty feet. It was rebuilt. In the 1850s, a pier and a new lighthouse became operational in 1859. The pier was extended and new lighthouses were built in 1869 and 1885. A fog bell was added in 1881.
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| Robert Thompson posted The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse built in 1893photo circa 1930. It’s now a Registered Landmark and went automated in 1979. Look at the skyline. [Actually, this is the 1919 location of the lighthouse.] |
The first lighthouse at the mouth of the Chicago River was built in 1832. But it fell over when it reached a height of fifty feet. It was rebuilt. In the 1850s, a pier and a new lighthouse became operational in 1859. The pier was extended and new lighthouses were built in 1869 and 1885. A fog bell was added in 1881.
A 5,430' breakwater was built in the 1870s. When opened to navigation in 1877 it had only two small lights. A proper lighthouse for the new breakwater started shining on Nov 9, 1893. The two houses next to the 66' tall tower contained boilers to operate 10" steam whistles as a fog signal. A third-order Fresnel lens was exhibited at the 1893 Colombian Exposition before it was installed in the new lighthouse.
In the 1910's the breakwater was extended and the tower was moved to its current location. It was first lit on Aug 1, 1918 and construction of the new houses were completed in 1919. One was for the fog signal and the other was a boat house. The "Navy Pier" had just been built in 1916.
The light was electrified in 1925 and a radio beacon was added in 1928. It was automated in 1979 and the light can be seen 24 miles out in the lake.
[LighthouseFriends, InsideChicagoWalkingTours (explains Fresnel lens)]
The fog signal is designed to be of a lower pitch than most whistles. This allows the signal to be distinguished from the many tugboat, steamer, railroad and factory whistles in an urban area; allows the direction to be easily determined; and allows the sound to propagate further. Sound deflectors were installed behind the whistles in 1901. [Chicagology, LighthouseFriends]
I never realized there was a breakwater through which the boats had to aim.
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| Francisco Medina, Jul 2019 |
I never realized there was a breakwater through which the boats had to aim.
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| Street View |
And the breakwater evidently requires maintenance.
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| Satellite |
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