On Monday, September 30th, the final bit of painting equipment was removed from the Kewaunee South Pier, leaving the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse with a fresh look. A two-man crew from J&K Sealants of Denmark took just 5 days to pressure wash, sand, prime, and paint the lower level of the lighthouse at a cost of $10,000.
The project finishes in plenty of time for the final tour of the season on Saturday, October 5. (10am-4pm)
Compare the Lighthouse in 2020 with 2024.
The paint job is the most recent project in the ongoing restoration of the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse, a process which began in 2017. The building was built in 1912 and was staffed by keepers until 1981. The City of Kewaunee obtained the lighthouse in September of 2011. Lead paint and asbestos were removed shortly after, in preparation for the beginning of restoration.
Thanks in part to a grant from the State of Wisconsin to the city, as well as donations made to the non-profit Friends of the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse, in 2017 the lighthouse underwent its first stage of restoration. (See Photo Below)
In this $150,000 project, the building was encased in scaffolding and the corrugated metal paneling which clad the tower was replaced with shake, to more accurately portray the original asbestos tiles. The same tile was installed on the 2nd floor exterior. Additionally, the roof (and all deteriorated detail elements) was replaced at the same time. Generous donors allowed us to upgrade the roof to metal rather than asphalt, ensuring a much longer and maintenance-free life, despite the punishing elements of Lake Michigan.
The next major exterior steps took place in 2023 when six steel plates covering windows on the 1st floor were removed and the ten existing windows were replaced with replicas. (Photos Below) The steel plates were removed by local company Paplham Welding & Fabrication under contract, while the windows were fabricated by local carpenter Barry Nelson, who donated his labor. The new windows were installed by a team of volunteers over a two-day period.
Before and after steel plate removal & new windows - Plus the volunteer crew who installed them Dan Kruse, Dale Neumier, Jim Schaller, Frank Voyles, Barry Nelson
In early 2024, a metal band was installed to cover the gap between the steel sheeting of the 1st level and the concrete foundation. This gap had been allowing water into the building. (See photos below) The band was installed by local company Paplham Welding & Fabrication under contract.
(1& 2) "before" photos showing the gap at the base of the white steel, as well as the spotty paint. (3) Detail photo showing the gap at the base of the steel. (4) Belt being installed (5) South face after belt installation
In order to tie together the work completed in the past 7 years, the city's Lighthouse Preservation Committee voted unanimously to hire J&K Sealants to complete the painting of the first level of the lighthouse.
The board of directors for the Friends of the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse then unanimously voted to finance the project using money from the non-profit's funds. Funds come from private donations and from tour proceeds.
Finally, the Kewaunee City Council approved the project at their September meeting.
On Tuesday, September 24th, John Kruse of J&K Sealants and his assistant arrived at the lighthouse to begin the process. Wednesday, they began pressure washing the spider webs and bugs away from the main level and sanding the rust spots. The old paint has been previously tested and confirmed to be lead-free.
Photo 1: The scissor lift in front of the lighthouse during pressure washing of the exterior. Photos 2 & 3: Before and After pressure washing on the north face of the lighthouse
Once the surface was prepared, a coat of marine-grade primer was applied, followed by three coats of white paint. (Photos Below)
In the future, we'd love to use a long-arm bucket lift (possibly on a barge) to reach the sides and front of the lighthouse to pressure wash the upper levels. If you (or your business) is capable and willing to assist with this, please email us.
After just 5 days of work, the painting was done and the equipment was off the pier and the lighthouse shone even brighter! The Friends of the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse are incredibly grateful to those who helped us make this (and all of our other projects) a reality!
To help finance future projects and preserve this historic structure, you can donate right here! Your donation to our non-profit is tax deductable.
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