Chicago Harbor Lighthouse - Classic White T-Shirt Collection

Chicago Harbor Lighthouse - Historic lighthouse in Lake Michigan

Built for the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, the 111-ft Chicago Harbor Lighthouse was moved to its current location in 1919. The American Lighthouse Commission praised its commercial and engineering "state-of-the-art" achievements. The cast-iron tower features a third-order Fresnel lens with alternating red and white panels, which won first prize at the Paris Glass exhibition. Following the conclusion of the exposition, the lens was kept in Chicago, and the light tower was completed with it. Now on display at California's Cabrillo National Monument, the structure includes a concrete base and two red-roofed buildings with a white cylinder between them. The boathouse and fog signal room were added in 1917 when the lighthouse was relocated. Its unique design was compared to a sea spark plug, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 and is a Chicago Landmark.