Grassy Island Range Lights

Grassy Island Range Lights are two wooden pyramidal towers fitted with octagonal lanterns that served to direct ships through the channel into Green Bay harbor. The front structure stands at a lower elevation while the rear tower rises higher, allowing mariners to align both lights in a straight line to navigate safely through the waterway.

Built in 1872 to mark a newly dredged shipping channel, these structures replaced earlier navigation aids like the Long Tail Point Light located further north. The towers underwent modernization in 1934 when they switched to acetylene-powered operation.

These towers guided ships with signals that became part of the local maritime identity, helping skippers navigate safely to the harbor. The structures remain visible reminders of how the community once relied on these lights for its economic survival through shipping.

These structures can be viewed from land and are easily spotted along the shoreline, with their distinctive shapes visible from nearby areas. The location is accessible for observation without special equipment, though visitors should check local conditions before visiting the waterfront.

The towers emit green light instead of white, a distinctive choice made to stand out against the surrounding city lights and prevent confusion with other illumination. This coloring solution helped mariners quickly identify the correct channel markers even as urban development increased light pollution around the harbor.

Location: Green Bay

Inception: 1872

Made from material: lumber

GPS coordinates: 44.53630,-88.00490

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:01