Rawley Point Lighthouse
Rawley Point Lighthouse
c/o U.S. Coast Guard
Two Rivers, WI 54241​
The Rawley Point Lighthouse is a A 111-foot brick lighthouse on Lake Michigan north of Two Rivers, guiding ships since the mid-1800s and standing as one of Wisconsin’s tallest lights.

Prints & Downloads

Map

Lighthouse keepers

Early notable keepers included:
  • William Jackson (first keeper, 1850s)
  • Several assistant keepers through the late 19th century
  • Staff maintained both the light and fog signal station

Location

Rawley Point (also called Twin River Point)
Approximately 6 miles north of Two Rivers
Lake Michigan shoreline, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
(Located within Point Beach State Forest area.)
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History

Milestones

  • 1853 – First lighthouse established at Twin River Point.
  • 1857 – Original structure replaced due to structural issues.
  • 1894 – Current 111-foot cream city brick tower constructed.
  • Early 1900s – Powerful fog signal installed due to frequent Lake Michigan fog.
  • 1979 – Light automated (no resident keeper required).
  • Present – Remains an active Coast Guard aid to navigation.

Historical Facts

  • Originally called Twin River Point Light.
  • At 111 feet, it is among the tallest lighthouses on the Great Lakes.
  • The light was critical because this stretch of shoreline lacks natural harbors, making navigation especially dangerous in storms and fog.
  • A steam-powered fog signal once blasted during heavy fog to warn passing vessels.
  • The cream-colored brick tower contrasts beautifully against Lake Michigan — especially dramatic in winter ice conditions.

    ​The Schooner Comet (1861)
  • The wooden schooner Comet was carrying lumber along the western shore of Lake Michigan.
  • A violent November gale drove her toward the Rawley Point shoreline.
  • The crew attempted to anchor, but the heavy seas snapped lines.
  • She broke apart in the surf — a common fate for lumber schooners along this exposed coast.
  • This type of wreck is exactly why Rawley Point’s powerful light and fog signal became so critical.

Photography

The lighthouse faces east over Lake Michigan.    Its within a state park, so you need to pay the state park fee or have a Wisconsin State Parks pass.   

The walk from the parking lot to the lighthouse is very easy.   Its best viewed along the wooden path that goes to the beach.