Capital Campaign Underway to Finish Lighthouse Foundation Repairs
- Jake Heffernan
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
You may remember last season, we had a metal belt installed between the concrete foundation and the steel main level to block water entering the building through a sizable gap between the two areas. Water entry in this area frequently left the machinery space floor wet and muddy. Thus far, the belt has done its job to keep the machinery space dry!
Our focus now moves to the concrete foundation itself to keep water out of the basement. The basement of the lighthouse is not accessed by visitors and contains two large tanks that formerly stored fuel oil for the lighthouse furnace. Phase 2 of the foundation repair consists of 4 main components, with the intent to further seal the lighthouse from the elements. In order to complete this next phase, we're undertaking a $17,000 capital campaign to raise the funds needed.
The "Jean & Donald Smith Fund," responsible for the creation of the Lighthouse Park at the base of the south pier, has donated $1000 towards this project, while several other private individuals have also donated.
Read on to learn more about what these repairs involve and how you can help.
MASTIC - Mastic is the black, tar-like material that fills the gap between the pier and the lighthouse wall. The purpose is similar to the tar used to seal cracks in the road. The mastic previously used here tested positive for asbestos and was removed in 2018. The lack of this gap-filling material allows water to flow into the lighthouse basement in several places. Replacing this mastic is viewed as the most critical of the needs, as it would directly block the flow of water into the building.
RUSTED STEEL COVERINGS - Two openings on the northern face of the foundation (adjacent to the river) are badly rusted and the surrounding concrete is chipped and missing. Daylight can be seen entering the building from these openings when one stands inside the basement.
Two additional openings exist underneath the entry deck and are also covered with steel plates. These two openings are presumed to have been cut in the foundation in the early 1960s to allow the installation of the two massive fuel oil tanks that occupy most of the basement. Due to the modern grade of the pier, it is impossible to remove the fuel oil tanks via these openings, thus they were left behind when the lighthouse was automated.
All four of these openings in the foundation will have pre-cast concrete blocks installed in place of the steel plates.
GENERAL CONCRETE REPAIR - There are several areas along the foundation where concrete has chipped away or is missing. This problem is most pronounced on the eastern face of the lighthouse where a significant portion of concrete is missing. Areas of missing or damaged concrete will be repaired with hydraulic cement.
EPOXY COATING - Finally, the entire foundation surface will have a 2-part epoxy coating applied to further seal out moisture and ensure the longevity of these repairs. The epoxy will be color matched to ensure historic accuracy.
VIDEO SHOWING THE PLANNED REPAIRS
How You Can Contribute
Mail your donation to: Friends of the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse PO Box 23, Kewaunee, WI 54216
The Friends of the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse are a 501(c)3 organization, registered in the State of Wisconsin. Your donation is tax deductible as allowed by law.
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