(WFRV) – A lighthouse in Kewaunee and a shipwreck near Marinette have both been added to the National and State Register of Historic Places, respectively.
The Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse and the Sidney O. Neff Shipwreck have been recognized by the Wisconsin Historical Society and were named to the Register of Historic Places on Thursday, September 15.
The Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse
The Kewaunee Lighthouse has safely guided mariners through northern Lake Michigan waters for nearly seven decades, and according to the Wisconsin Historical Society, “It has been an important enhancement to navigational safety in and around Kewaunee County.”
Located at the entry to the port of Kewaunee, it was originally constructed as a fog signal building in 1909 and was converted to a lighthouse in 1931.
Four stories tall, the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse includes the original two-story fog signal building, rooms previously used for machinery and office spaces, and living quarters for the lighthouse keepers.
The Sidney O. Neff Shipwreck
The Sidney O. Neff Shipwreck has been recognized for its archaeological significance as a steam barge. It is located upright on the bottom of Green Bay, under 10-15 feet of water.
During the steam barge’s use, it facilitated the lumber industry but by 1934, the steam barge was abandoned in Marinette until 1939, when the machinery was recovered and the vessel was abandoned.
The shipwreck still includes the engine and propeller.
