| Eagle Bluff Light | |||||||||
| Location: | Ephraim, Wisconsin | ||||||||
| Coordinates: | 45.1687°N -87.2367°W[1] | ||||||||
| Yearbuilt: | 1868 | ||||||||
| Yearlit: | 1868 | ||||||||
| Automated: | 1926 | ||||||||
| Foundation: | Concrete | ||||||||
| Construction: | Cream City brick | ||||||||
| Shape: | Square | ||||||||
| Lens: | Third and 1/2 order Fresnel lens | ||||||||
| Characteristic: | White, Flashing every 6 sec | ||||||||
| Module: |
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The Eagle Bluff Light, also known as Eagle Bluff lighthouse, or simply Eagle Bluff, is a lighthouse located near Ephraim in Peninsula State Park in Door County, Wisconsin. Construction was authorized in 1866, but the lighthouse was not actually built until 1868 at a cost of $12,000. It was automated in 1926. Restoration work began on the Eagle Bluff Light in 1960 and was completed in 1963, upon completion the Lighthouse was opened for tours. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
Located in what is modern-day Peninsula State Park. Situated on a 76-foot bluff that overlooks the Strawberry Channel, Eagle Bluff's mission is to illuminate the islands located in the middle of the strawberry channel. This mission is what gives Eagle Bluff its nickname "The Guardian of the Strawberry Channel".[2]
Much of Door County is located on the Niagara Escarpment. The escarpment makes it very hard to dig into the soil of Door County and for this reason it is very unusual to have a basement in Door County. Eagle Bluff has two basements. One under the tower and one under the keeper's residence.
The Door County Historical Society, also known as DCHS, has maintained the Eagle Bluff Light from 1960 to the present day.[3] DCHS was responsible for the restoration of Eagle Bluff. These restorations were led by a woman known as Ida Bay.[4] Currently DCHS is raising money to reconstruct the barn, and the summer kitchen that were originally located on the property. To this day DCHS runs tours through the keeper's residence and the tower of Eagle Bluff.
There were three keepers who maintained the Eagle Bluff Light: Henry Stanley, William Duclon, and Peter Coughlin.
The longest serving keeper in Eagle Bluff's history, William Duclon and his wife Julia Duclon (née Davenport) raised their seven sons in this lighthouse. Eagle Bluff has been restored to the time period of the Duclons, some of their original possessions can be seen on display in the home today.
The youngest son of William and Julia, Walter Duclon, helped with the restorations of Eagle Bluff. He provided personal stories, artifacts, and family documents to help aid in the creation of the museum that is now housed in the keeper's residence.