Lighthouses of Wisconsin -  Pilot Island - Door County
Pilot Island - Door County
Pilot Island Lighthouse is a historic Lake Michigan navigation light built to guide ships through the hazardous waters at the entrance to Green Bay, standing on a remote island northeast of Washington Island
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Prints & Downloads

Map

Pilot Island Lighthouse Keepers (Partial list)
  • Samuel C. Cory (mid-1800s)
  • William H. Petit
  • James Crawford
  • John P. Nagle

Location


The waters around Pilot Island were notorious for shipwrecks, especially during fall gales and spring ice breakup. Keepers often reported:
  • Hearing cries in the dark during storms
  • Seeing wreckage drift ashore days later
  • Launching small boats in dangerous seas to look for survivors
One documented account describes a keeper staying awake three consecutive nights, keeping the lamp trimmed and watching a disabled schooner struggle offshore—unable to help but determined to keep the light burning as a final guide.
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History

Key Historical Highlights:​
​1838 - First light on Pilot Island established (wooden structure)
1858 - Present stone lighthouse constructed
1873 - Lighthouse raised and rebuilt to improve visibility
1903 - Major renovations and structural improvements
1926 - Lighthouse automated
1960 - Keeper’s dwelling vacated; station fully unmanned
2007 - Transferred to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Pilot Island sits near the historic shipping lanes leading into Green Bay, making it one of the most strategically important lights in the region.
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In 1873, keepers and engineers faced a problem: the light simply wasn’t high enough to be seen over Lake Michigan’s frequent fog and rough seas. Rather than tear the tower down, they jacked the entire stone lighthouse upward, raised it several feet, and rebuilt the foundation beneath it.

The surrounding shoals and reefs caused numerous shipwrecks; the lighthouse dramatically reduced maritime accidents.

Today, the island is part of the Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge and is an important bird habitat.

Due to safety and environmental protection, the island is closed to the public—most people experience it only by boat or drone photography.

Unlike many historic lighthouses, Pilot Island Light remains an active navigational aid.​

Photography

Hard to access this lighthouse.  You have to take a private boat to Pilot Island from the Northport pier or from Washington Island.  The Island is marked as a wildlife refuge with no trespassing.   

Best to shoot the lighthouse images from your boat.