SHOWS

Lighthouses of Chicago Harbor Lecture

Presented by New Leaf Theatre

Friday, June 17
12:15 PM — 1:00 PM
Claudia Cassidy Theater
FREE

By Donald J. Terras, President of American Lighthouse Coordinating Committee

The picturesque Chicago Harbor Lighthouse has long held a fascination for residents and visitors. Seemingly afloat some 2,000 feet off historic Navy Pier, this aid to maritime navigation marks the entrance to a port that connects the Great Lakes with shipping interests on both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Since 1832, Chicago’s harbor has seen a succession of lighthouses, each of them unique, that have helped ships laden with cargo and passengers safely access one of the great historical port cities of the United States. In fact, the history of Chicago is inseparable from its maritime past and the lighthouses that marked the entrance to the city’s harbor. This book tells the story of these structures, the keepers who faithfully operated them, and the transformation of Chicago’s lakefront from being commercially focused to one of the world’s most utilized recreational areas.