THE HISTORIC
The Chicago Harbor Lighthouse
NEEDS YOUR HELP
Keep Chicago's harbor light shining for future generations
Your support helps preserve and restore this Chicago landmark.
Friends of the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse (FOCHL) is a 100% volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to ensuring this iconic lighthouse continues to shine for generations to come.
Our mission is rooted in three guiding principles — Preserve, Restore, Celebrate — a framework that honors the lighthouse’s past, stabilizes its present, and prepares it for a vibrant future.
Your support helps us protect a symbol of Chicago’s maritime history and bring it safely into the public eye once again.
Preserve
We are committed to safeguarding the lighthouse’s historic integrity by preventing further deterioration and maintaining the structure for future generations.
Restore
Our restoration plans aim to return the lighthouse to its former beauty, honoring its role as a guardian of Chicago’s harbor and a memorial to the keepers who served there.
Celebrate
Our long-term vision is to celebrate the lighthouse’s future as both a functional navigation aid and a public interpretive center that shares Chicago’s deep maritime heritage.
A BEACON TO CHICAGO FOR 130 YEARS
Chicago Harbor Lighthouse History
Built in 1893 for the World’s Columbian Exposition and relocated to its breakwater home in 1919, the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse has guided vessels into the harbor for more than 130 years.
Designated a national historic landmark, it remains a treasured symbol of Chicago’s waterfront identity.
Current Conditions
Though still functioning as an aid to navigation, the lighthouse is suffering from decades of exposure and lack of maintenance. Rust, structural damage, and weathering have taken a serious toll.
FOCHL is actively raising funds and coordinating expert volunteers — engineers, preservationists, project managers, and contractors — to stabilize and restore this irreplaceable structure.
Your support ensures the lighthouse will continue to shine!
Our Future: Restored Lighthouse
We envision a fully restored Chicago Harbor Lighthouse—structurally sound, historically preserved, and eventually accessible to the public. A place where visitors can experience the harbor up close, learn about lighthouse technology, and appreciate Chicago’s maritime history.
But getting there requires community involvement, technical expertise, and passionate volunteers working together.
Help us build the Lighthouse’s next chapter!
Help Us Save the Lighthouse!
Together, we can preserve this beacon, restore its beauty, and celebrate its legacy for generations to come.
