Rock Island - Pottawatomie Lighthouse
Friends of Rock Island (which helps maintain the lighthouse):  1924 Indian Point Road, Washington Island, WI 54246
The Pottawatomie Lighthouse on Rock Island, built in 1858, is Wisconsin’s oldest lighthouse and can be reached only by boat and a mile-long hike through Rock Island State Park.

Prints & Downloads

Map

Lighthouse keepers

  • David Corbin – first keeper in 1836 (original lighthouse).
  • Andrew J. Anderson – longtime keeper from 1880s to early 1900s.
  • Ole Hansen – keeper into the early 20th century.
  • Many keepers lived there with their families, raising children in isolation on Rock Island.

Location

To reach the Pottawatomie Lighthouse on Rock Island, first travel to Washington Island at the tip of Door County, Wisconsin, by taking the car ferry from the mainland at Northport Pier. From Washington Island’s Jackson Harbor, you’ll board the Karfi passenger ferry or arrive by private boat to Rock Island State Park, as no motor vehicles or bicycles are allowed on the island. Once ashore, it’s about a 1.25-mile hike each way along a wooded trail leading up to the bluff where the lighthouse stands.
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History

Historical Highlights


  • The 1836 lighthouse was so poorly built that waves and wind nearly destroyed it within two decades.
  • The current limestone structure (1858) was built by Scandinavian stonemasons, much sturdier and still standing.
  • During the Civil War, Rock Island’s light guided heavy shipping through the dangerous Door Passage.
  • Supplies had to be hauled up steep trails, and winters often left keepers completely isolated.
  • The light was decommissioned in 1946, with a steel skeletal tower taking over.
  • Volunteers with the Friends of Rock Island stay in the keeper’s quarters each summer, giving tours and living much like the original keepers.

Photography

The lighthouse faces east over Lake Michigan, so early morning / sunrise offers the most dramatic light on the water and tower.

The lighthouse is not easy to reach — you must take the Karfi passenger ferry from Washington Island (or a private boat), then hike 1.25 miles uphill through forest trails to the bluff. Plan extra time for the hike and ferry schedules.

​Capture the trail approach for storytelling shots (the journey to the lighthouse is part of its charm)