Name and Location

The Foster Avenue Breakwater Light is an active navigational aid located at the mouth of Lake Michigan on Chicago's North Side. The address is 5200 N Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60640, USA. Its coordinates are 41.9778072 N, -87.646167 W (WGS 84).

2. Construction and History

The construction era of the light is not officially documented, but it may date from early-20th-century harbor improvements carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The local nickname for this lighthouse is sometimes referred to as the "Foster Avenue Pier Light." While not associated with any major shipwrecks, the breakwater and its light have long served pleasure-boat traffic and fishing vessels in calm-weather navigation.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Foster Avenue Breakwater Light is a pierhead light on a short breakwater, constructed from prefabricated steel (tower and catwalk) mounted on a concrete pier foundation. The structure is painted white to contrast with the lakefront skyline. The height of the tower is estimated at 8-10 meters above pier level.

4. Light and Navigation

The light characteristic is not published in readily available U.S. Coast Guard Light Lists, but it is likely a flashing white light with a period of 4-6 seconds and a nominal range of 3-5 nautical miles. The light is fully automated and has a power source of mains electricity with battery backup.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The breakwater is open for shore fishing and walking, but there is no public climb or interior tours of the light. Visitors can reach the breakwater on foot via the paved path at the east end of Foster Avenue Beach. Nearby facilities include restrooms, a beach house, parking lot, picnic areas, and Lincoln Park Zoo and North Avenue Beach lie within a few miles to the south.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

Notably, the light is situated near Foster Avenue Beach, which features a sandy public beach with lifeguards in summer. The Chicago Lakefront Trail runs north-south along the lake, offering scenic views of the harbor. Nearby harbor lights include the Montrose Harbor Light to the south and Diversey Harbor Light.

7. Further Information

The City of Chicago Building Inventory lists this light as "Foster Avenue Breakwater Light" (Building ID 70985). The National Register of Historic Places does not list this lighthouse individually, but it is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard in good repair.