Name and Location

The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, also known as the North Pier Light, is an active aid to navigation marking the entrance to Chicago Harbor on Lake Michigan. Its official name is the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse.

Located at the outer end of the north pier at Navy Pier, Chicago Harbor, the lighthouse's coordinates are 41.8893454 N, –87.5905537 W.

2. Construction and History

The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1893 and first lit that year. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1984 (Ref. #84000986). The lighthouse remains under the protection of the U.S. Coast Guard and is one of the few surviving 19th-century iron-clad pierhead lights on the Great Lakes.

3. Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse's architecture style is Queen Anne cottage-style keeper's dwelling with an attached tower. It was constructed using cast-iron tower, wood-frame dwelling on a concrete foundation, and steel pier superstructure. The exterior finish is white painted iron and wood with a contrasting red roof.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse's light has a focal plane of 51 ft (16 m) above lake level and a range of 13 nautical miles. Its characteristic is Flashing White every 10 seconds (Fl W 10 s). The original lens was a Fresnel lens, fourth order, which was replaced by a modern aerobeacon.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse itself is not open for general tours, but may be viewed from Navy Pier and by private boat. Access is only available by boat; landing is restricted and subject to U.S. Coast Guard approval. Occasional special-event cruises with interior visits are organized by the Illinois Lighthouse Foundation.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse's setting is at the foot of the north pier extending from Navy Pier into Lake Michigan. It offers panoramic vistas of the Chicago skyline, Lake Michigan expanse, and passing freighters.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

Local storytellers claim sightings of a 19th-century keeper's figure in the lantern room, although there is no documented evidence to support these claims. The lighthouse was relocated in 1917 from its original river-mouth site to the pier breakwater.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse remains an active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation (Light List No. 2-16320). It has been automated since 1979, with solar-powered beacon, emergency generator, and AIS transponder operational. The nearest visitor amenities are located at Navy Pier.

9. Further Information

For further reading and references, please visit the National Register of Historic Places nomination form (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28890966), NOAA Chart 14929 (Lake Michigan – Chicago Harbor), "The Lighthouses of the Great Lakes" by Wes Oleszewski (2005), or the Illinois Lighthouse Foundation website (https://illinoislighthouses.org).