PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. (Aug. 11, 2026) – Vantage Data Centers, Oracle and OpenAI today announced a combined $60,000 contribution to support restoration work at Port Washington’s historic 1860 Light Station, helping preserve one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks and expand access to its maritime history for residents and visitors.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 1860 Light Station has been stewarded by the Port Washington Historical Society since the late 1990s and remains one of the community’s most treasured cultural assets. The funding will support construction of a new retaining wall for the generator building, a 1934 structure that supported the site’s operations and is one of three buildings that make up the Light Station.
The contribution is part of a broader effort to fully restore the generator building, which has not previously undergone a historic restoration. Planned improvements include restoring the building’s exterior to its original appearance, developing interpretive exhibits on Port Washington’s maritime heritage and adding a fully ADA-accessible entrance to improve public access.
“Port Washington has a proud maritime history, and the 1860 Light Station is one of the places where that history comes to life,” said Pam Lyons, community engagement specialist at Vantage Data Centers. “As we become part of this community, we have taken a listening-first approach to understand what matters most to local residents and leaders. This project is a meaningful example of that effort, supporting a landmark that reflects the city’s character, expanding access for residents and visitors, and helping ensure it can be enjoyed for generations to come.”
“The 1860 Light Station is one of Port Washington’s most treasured landmarks, and preserving it means preserving a piece of who we are as a community,” said Dawn St. George, executive director of the Port Washington Historical Society. “We’re grateful to Vantage Data Centers, Oracle and OpenAI for recognizing the importance of this work and helping ensure the Light Station can be enjoyed by future generations.”
“The Port Washington Historical Society has cared for the 1860 Light Station for decades, ensuring this beloved beacon remains part of the community’s future,” said Colleen Cassity, head of social impact, Oracle. “We’re proud to support their efforts to restore the site and make it more accessible for everyone who visits.”
“Building AI infrastructure responsibly means showing up as a long-term partner and supporting the priorities communities identify,” said Don DeFoe of OpenAI. “We’re proud to help preserve the 1860 Light Station and make this important part of Port Washington’s story more accessible for generations to come.”
The contribution reflects Vantage, Oracle and OpenAI’s continued commitment to supporting local priorities in Port Washington, where Vantage is developing its Lighthouse data center campus. It follows the companies’ previously announced $225,000 commitment to help relaunch the Port Washington-Saukville School District’s Education Foundation, underscoring a broader focus on education, preservation and community investment.
About Vantage Data Centers
Vantage Data Centers is a global provider of digital infrastructure serving AI and cloud innovators. With operations spanning North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage delivers capacity at speed and scale, driven by a commitment to operational excellence and customer success. Vantage is empowering transformative companies to shape the future.
For more information, visit https://www.vantage-dc.com.
About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud.
For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit www.oracle.com.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company. Its mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.
For more information, please visit www.openai.com.
About Port Washington Historical Society
The Port Washington Historical Society was founded in 1991. Over the years the organization has demonstrated its strong volunteer commitment as a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the preservation, advancement and dissemination of the history of the Port Washington area.
For more information, please visit https://www.pwhistory.org/.
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Oracle, Java, MySQL and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud company—ushering in the new era of cloud computing.
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Press Contacts
Mark Freeman
Vantage Data Centers
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Aidan Johnson
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Candice van der Laan
Oracle
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Aaron McLear
OpenAI
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