Lighthouse Summer

In April when we were planning our summer trips, I never dreamed lighthouses would be one of the themes.  And after we left Oregon, I thought we had left the lighthouses behind us.

Fast forward to September and Wisconsin.  When Don informed me there was a lighthouse just down the road from our RV park, we knew we had to go.  This afternoon, we visited the lighthouse near Fish Creek in Peninsula State Park.  We arrived just in time to catch the last tour.

The lighthouse was the first of 350 built after the Civil War, and it has been automated since the 1920's.  Its Fresnel lens is much smaller than those on the Oregon coast, but since it did not have to shine 26 miles into the ocean, it makes sense.  

The building itself is much more hospitable than any of those we saw in Oregon.  The elegance of the living quarters surprised us - wood floors, four wood stoves, three bedrooms, a parlor, a living room, a dining area, and they even had a piano in the living room. To get the piano to the building took a Herculean effort with many men dragging it up a steep hill from the lake below.  The only downside to the site is that it still does not have electricity.

Thre is a possibility we will see another lighthouse or two this weekend, but if not, that is ok.  We have enjoyed our lighthouse summer.