Fond du Lac Lighthouse

Fond du Lac Lighthouse, located at the southern end of Lake Winnebago, has become the symbol of the surrounding city, much like the Statue of Liberty represents New York City and the Golden Gate Bridge is linked to San Francisco. As you travel the streets of Fond du Lac, the image of the lighthouse is readily seen on bridges, road signs, and advertising. The community’s affinity for the lighthouse is perhaps because the beacon was built and lit during one of the city’s darkest periods.

In 1932, lumberman W. J. Nuss generously offered to build a lighthouse in Lakeside Park using plans donated by noted architect Roger A. Sutherland. The offer was quickly accepted by the park board, and work on the forty-foot tower started the following May. At this time, the country was suffering through the depths of the Great Depression. Unemployment peaked at 24.9% in 1933, spreading a cloud of gloom across the nation. Charitably, the laborers employed on the lighthouse project were all out-of-work Fund du Lac citizens. The lighthouse was built at no cost to the city, with A.J. Rosenthal, Pierce Pereell, E.A. Becker, W.H. Manoske, H.B. Rossner, and A.R. Reiser all donating to the project. The local yacht club purchased a $200 beacon for the lantern room to guide mariners in and out of the harbor.