Lighthouses of the United States: Ohio

Lucas County (Toledo Area) Lighthouses

Turtle Island (2)

1866 (station established 1832). Inactive since 1904. 42 ft (13 m) ruined square cylindrical stone tower; no lantern. Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. J.K. Flavell has an aerial photo, but the island is only a blur in Google's satellite view. The tower was formerly attached church-style to a 2-story stone keeper's house, similar to Green Island Light (see below) and the lighthouses at Marquette Harbor and Ontonagon, Michigan. After years of neglect and vandalism, the lighthouse was struck by a tornado in 1965. In 2002, Keith Fifer, who held a lease on the island, announced his intention to restore the light, control erosion, and provide for public access. In August, authorities in Monroe County, Michigan, sued to stop him from constructing buildings without permits on the Michigan portion of the island. In September building resumed, and Fifer completed two vacation rental houses on the island. In 2008, Monroe County authorities, supported by a court order, ordered the unapproved structures demolished. In fact, they were destroyed by ice floes during the winter of 2008-09, as seen in photos by Don Coles posted by Schultheiss. Turtle Island is a tiny island bisected by the Ohio-Michigan border about 4 miles (6.5 km) northeast of Harbor View, on the north side of the Toledo harbor entrance. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner: private. Site manager: Turtle Island, Inc. ARLHS USA-859.

* Manhattan Range Rear

1918. Inactive since the late 1980s. 20 ft (6 m) skeletal tower with square steel lantern room. Lantern painted yellow with a blue roof. This is only the top of the lighthouse, which was originally 80 ft (24 m) tall and located near the mouth of the Maumee River. Anderson has photos and driving directions, a historic photo of the original light station is available, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated in the late 1980s to the parking lot of Hansen Industries at 2824 North Summit Street near Cleveland Street, on the north side of the Maumee River in Toledo. The current rear range light (focal plane 105 ft (32 m); continuous red light; USCG 7-6110) is mounted atop a building on the waterfront. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from Summit Street nearby. Owner/site manager: H. Hansen Industries. ARLHS USA-927.

* Manhattan Range Front

1918. Inactive since the late 1980s. 20 ft (6 m) skeletal tower with square steel lantern room. Lighthouse painted white. Anderson has photos and driving directions, a historic photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. In the late 1980s, the two Manhattan Range lights were removed by workers from Hansen Industries, who placed them in the company's parking lot. The front light was purchased by the owner of the Lighthouse Café (now the Six Pack Bar and Grill), who moved it to the restaurant on the north side of the Maumee River at 2605 Broadway Street. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Six Pack Bar and Grill. ARLHS USA-1089.

Toledo Harbor 1904. Active; focal plane 72 ft (22 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 69 ft (21 m) square brick tower rising from the center of the roof of a 3-story Romanesque buff-colored brick keeper's house; 300 mm lens. The original Barbier & Benard 3-1/2 order Fresnel lens, removed in the 1995, is on display at the lodge at Maumee Bay State Park. The tower and the building's roof painted black. A brick fog signal building is attached as an annex to the keeper's house. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) as needed. A photo is at right, Becky Snyder has a photo, a 2009 photo is available, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Huelse has a historic postcard view, but the lighthouse is not shown in Google's satellite view. This unique and architecturally significant lighthouse was mostly ignored by lighthouse fans and Toledo residents for many years. In 2003, the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society was formed to work for preservation and restoration of the lighthouse. In September 2005, the Society applied to secure ownership of the station under the NHLPA. The application was approved, and the deed was transferred in April 2007. In June 2006, the Lake Erie Protection Fund granted $10,000 towards building a new dock for access to the station. The dock was installed in October 2008, but somehow thieves stole it in April 2009. The Fresnel lens, which had been displayed at the Toledo Science Center, was moved to Maumee Bay State Park in May 2008. Located on a stone-filled concrete crib at least 5 km (3 mi) offshore and 13 km (8 mi) northeast of the harbor entrance; there are distant views from the Niles Beach area and Maumee Bay State Park. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society. ARLHS USA-853; USCG 7-6030.

Toledo Harbor Light Ohio Department of Natural Resources photo

West Sister Island (2)

1848 (station established 1821). Active; focal plane 57 ft (17.5 m); white flash every 4 s. 55 ft (17 m) round old-style brick tower, painted white. Lantern removed; a solar-powered light (300 mm lens) is displayed atop the capped tower. The keeper's house was destroyed in 1945. One of the last built and least known of the old-style U.S. towers. A 2007 photo is available, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the light station, but Google has only a distant satellite view of the island. The lighthouse is very close to the water and seems endangered by beach erosion. Formerly used as an Army target range, the island is now managed as a federally protected wilderness (the only national wilderness area in Ohio). Located on the southwestern tip of the island, about 6 miles (10 km) offshore and 15 miles (24 km) east of the mouth of the Maumee River. The island, site, and tower are all closed (sensitive wildlife area). Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge). ARLHS USA-882; USCG 7-5550.

Ottawa County: Mainland Lighthouses

* Port Clinton (Portage River) Breakwater (2) 1896 (station established 1832). Inactive since early 1960's. 20 ft (6 m) white square pyramidal wood tower, formerly located at the end of the breakwater on the east side of the Portage River entrance, relocated in 1964 to a marina upstream. Stephen Conn's photo is at right, Anderson's page has excellent historical information, Richardson and Klein have excellent closeup photos, the Coast Guard has a 1904 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The "pepperpot" form of this little lighthouse is very common in Canada. At one time there were many similar lighthouses on the U.S. side of the Great Lakes, but this is one of only two surviving U.S. examples of the type (the other is at Two Rivers in Eastern Wisconsin). In late 2011, the Brand family, owners of the marina, donated the lighthouse to the City of Port Clinton. The Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy was organzied to work for its restoration. The lantern has been removed for repair and restoration. Ultimately the lighthouse will be moved from the marina to city property, although the exact location has not been decided. The keeper's house (1901), substantially modified, became a restaurant called the Garden at the Lighthouse; it was destroyed by fire in September 2009. In April 2010, the owner was arrested and charged with arson in the destruction of the historic building. (The case was still pending in early 2011.) Located in Brand's Marina off OH 163 just west of the bridge in downtown Port Clinton. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Brand's Marina. ARLHS USA-914. **** Marblehead (Sandusky Bay) 1821 (William Kelly). Active; focal plane 67 ft (20.5 m); green flash every 6 s. 65 ft (20 m) round limestone tower (raised 15 ft in 1897); 300 mm lens. Lighthouse painted white; gallery rail and lantern roof are red. The 2-story Victorian wood keeper's house (1880) is a museum operated by the Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society; the 3rd order Fresnel lens (1904) and its rotating mechanism are on display. Bill Geiger's photo is at the top of this page, Anderson has an excellent page on the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has an 1897 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a good satellite view. This is the oldest active lighthouse on the U.S. side of the Great Lakes. Ownership of the lighthouse was transferred to the state in 1998, and in 2001-02 the state carried out a $500,000 renovation of the tower and keeper's house. In 2004 the Fresnel lens was returned to the light station from the Marblehead Coast Guard Station, where it had been on display for many years. The Ottawa County Historical Society owns the original 1-story fieldstone keeper's house, 3 miles (5 km) from the light on OH 163 in Marblehead. Located on OH 163 east of Lakeside. Site open; museum open afternoons mid-May to mid-October; tower closed at present but usually open to guided tours Monday through Friday afternoons and on the second Saturday of each month, June 1 through Labor Day (early September). Owner: Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Site manager: Marblehead Lighthouse State Park. ARLHS USA-472; USCG 7-5250.

Port Clinton Light, August 2002 Creative Commons photo by J. Stephen Conn

Ottawa County: Lake Erie Islands Lighthouses
Note: The Lake Erie Islands form a ragged chain of "stepping stones" crossing the lake from the Marblehead Peninsula in Ohio to Point Pelée in Ontario, Canada. The three Bass Islands and Kelleys Island are the largest U.S. islands in the chain, but the largest island of all, Pelée Island, is Canadian. South Bass Island and Kelleys Island are accessible by ferry. See also Southwestern Ontario.

Green Island (2)

1865 (station established 1855). Inactive since 1939. Ruined square cylindrical limestone tower attached church-style to a 2-story limestone keeper's house. Tim Harrison has a Lighthouse Digest article on the lighthouse, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the island. The lighthouse has been gutted by fires set by vandals; it is on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. The Coast Guard has a 1904 photo of the intact light station. Recent reports indicate the building has almost completely collapsed into rubble. Located at the west end of a small island about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) northwest of the South Bass Island Light. Site and entire island closed (wildlife preserve). Owner/site manager: Ohio Division of Wildlife. ARLHS USA-353.

Green Island (3)

1939 (?) (station established 1855). Active; focal plane 80 ft (24 m); white flash every 2.5 s. 67 ft (20.5 m) square cylindrical steel skeletal tower with gallery. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has an aerial photo, MiddleBass.org has an aerial photo, and Adam Lewis has a very distant view. Located adjacent to the historic lighthouse. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Ohio Division of Wildlife. USCG 7-5535.

*** South Bass Island (1) 1897 (J.P. Bumpus). Inactive since 1962. 60 ft (18 m) square red brick tower attached to one corner of 2-1/2 story red brick Queen Anne style keeper's house. Lantern painted white with a red roof. The original 4th order Fresnel lens is on display at the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society museum in Put-in-Bay. Anderson has a good page on the lighthouse, a 2008 closeup and a 2009 view from the water are available, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Huelse has a historic postcard view, but Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view. This lighthouse is a sibling of the Two Harbors Light in Minnesota. In 1967, Ohio State University leased the building as a biological and ecological research facility, and in 1997, when the lease expired, the lighthouse was transferred permanently to the university. In 2007, the University began offering tours of the lighthouse. Located at the southwestern end of the island. The island is accessible by ferries from Catawba Island and Port Clinton; these ferries pass the lighthouse. Site open, tower open for tours during the summer. Owner: Ohio State University. Site manager: Franz Theodore Stone Laboratory. ARLHS USA-769. South Bass Island (3) Date unknown (station established 1897). Active; focal plane 74 ft (22.5 m); red flash every 6 s. 70 ft (21 m) square steel skeletal tower with gallery. The tower also carries a NOAA C-MAN automatic weather station. This tower replaced a square pyramidal skeletal tower seen in a Coast Guard photo. Located adjacent to the historic lighthouse. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Franz Theodore Stone Laboratory. USCG 7-5530. *** Perry Memorial Monument 1915. Active; focal plane 335 ft (102 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 352 ft (107 m) round granite tower topped by a bronze urn. Floodlit at night. Justin Romeo's photo is at right, Anderson has a good photo, Don Kennedy has a 2009 photo, but Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view. This is the tallest aid to navigation in the U.S., 75% taller than Cape Hatteras Light. The tower commemorates the 1813 naval victory of a U.S. fleet led by Oliver Perry over a British fleet; it also recognizes the peace that has prevailed between the U.S. and Canada since 1815. An elevator carries visitors to an observation deck 317 ft (96.5 m) above the lake. A new visitor center opened in May 2002. Located on the northeastern portion of South Bass Island, which is accessible by ferries from Catawba Island and Port Clinton. Site open, tower open daily mid May to late October. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial. ARLHS USA-1317; USCG 7-5670. * Camp Patmos 1971. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 21 ft (6.5 m); quick-flashing white light. 18 ft (5.5 m) round gray-shingled tower with lantern; lantern roof is black. Virginia Travis has a closeup photo, and Alfredo de la Fuente has a second photo, but Google has only a distant satellite view of the area. The lighthouse is part of a Baptist youth camp. Located on the northeastern point of Kelley's Island, which is accessible by ferry from Marblehead. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Camp Patmos. ARLHS USA-1245; USCG 7-5570.

Perry Memorial, July 2007 Creative Commons photo by Justin Rumao

Erie County (Sandusky Area) Lighthouses

[Sandusky Harbor Breakwater (2)] 1990s (station established 1935?). Active; focal plane 30 ft (9 m); white light occults every 4 s. Navigation beacon mounted atop a round cylindrical steel enclosure, painted white with a single green band. The light does not appear in Google's satellite view. This is a "D9" tower similar to the Cleveland East Entrance Light. The former light (1935) at this location was a 20 ft (6 m) skeletal tower with square steel lantern room; the Coast Guard has a historic photo. This light was still in place as late as 1993. Located at the end of a rough stone breakwater extending into the lake at Cedar Point. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-730; USCG 7-4560. * Cedar Point 1867. Inactive since 1904. Square wood light tower centered on the roof of 1-1/2 story limestone keeper's house. The building, stripped of its light tower, continued in use as a buoy depot, then as a radio beacon station, and finally as a lifesaving station until 1975. The light tower was replaced as part of a thorough restoration in 2000-01; the site is now part of the Lighthouse Point Campground. Brandon Cirillo's photo is at right, Wayne Sapulski has an article on the light station for Lighthouse Digest, and Google has a satellite view. Located at Cedar Point on the east side of the Sandusky Bay entrance. Site open, lighthouse status unknown (closed, according to Anderson). Owner/site manager: Cedar Point Amusement Park. ARLHS USA-926.

Cedar Point Light, June 2005 Creative Commons photo by Brandon Cirillo

* Huron Harbor (4)

1936 (F.P. Dillon and W. G. Will) (station established 1835). Active; focal plane 80 ft (24 m); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 72 ft (22 m) Art Moderne steel square cylindrical tower on a square steel fog signal building, mounted on a stone foundation at the end of the breakwater. Lantern removed; solar-powered 375 mm lens exposed at the top of the tower. Entire lighthouse painted white. Richardson and Klein have a photo, the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the lighthouse showing the original lantern, and Google has a satellite view. Sibling of Conneaut Harbor (see above). This light was formerly operated by remote control from a small brick station on shore. The history of the station is a bit obscure. According to Anderson, the 1835 lighthouse was replaced by a cast iron tower in 1857, but Schultheiss has an 1859 photo showing a skeletal wood tower. Later, according to the Coast Guard Historian, there was a pyramidal wood tower. Today, the Army Corps of Engineers is building a 64-acre (28 ha) island with dredge spoil adjacent to the lighthouse; this will be a town park eventually (more than half the area has been filled). Located on a crib just off the end of the harbor breakwater, which has been developed by the city as a mile-long fishing pier. Accessible by walking the pier. There's a good view from Nickel Plate Park at the end of Nickel Plate Drive, off Tiffen Street in downtown Huron. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: City of Huron Parks and Recreation Department. ARLHS USA-393; USCG 7-4475.

* Vermilion (4)

1992 (replica of 1877 lighthouse). Station established 1847. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 35 ft (11 m); continuous red light. 16 ft (5 m) white octagonal cast iron tower, painted white with a red band at the base; lantern painted black. A 5th order Fresnel lens is in use. Rona Proudfoot has a good 2007 photo, Randy Colby has another good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original pierhead lighthouse, which was removed in 1929 after being damaged by winter ice from the lake. It was repaired at the lighthouse depot in Buffalo and relocated in 1935 to East Charity Shoals, Lake Ontario (see Upstate New York). The replica, built by the Great Lakes Historical Society using $55,000 in public contributions, was installed outside the society's maritime museum at the foot of Main Street, just off US 6 and OH 60 in downtown Vermilion. (The original stood nearby at the end of the Vermilion Harbor West Pier.) Site and museum open daily. Owner/site manager: Inland Seas Maritime Museum. ARLHS USA-868; USCG 7-4451.

Lorain County Lighthouses

Lorain Harbor (4) (Lorain West Breakwater) 1917 (station established 1837). Reactivated (inactive 1966-2001?); focal plane 58 ft (17.5 m); red flash every 4 s. 51 ft (15.5 m) square tower rising from one corner of a 2-1/2 story reinforced concrete keeper's house. Building painted white with red roof. Downgraded in status to a minor aid, the light tower also carries a red triangular daymark. The original 4th order Fresnel lens was warehoused by the Coast Guard and then loaned in 1984 to the Charlotte-Genesee lighthouse in Rochester, New York. Courtney Emery's photo is at right, Anderson also has an excellent page for the lighthouse, Bob Bodnar has a nice photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is often called the "Jewel of the Port" light. A local preservation group prevented demolition of the lighthouse in 1965, but preserving it over the years has required a sustained effort. The foundation was restored by the Corps of Engineers; exterior renovations were carried out in 1999. In 2003 the Black River Historical Society leased a nearby building to start a lighthouse museum; the society has a good page on the history of the lighthouse. In 2005 the Port of Lorain Foundation announced a campaign to raise $3 million to complete the restoration of the lighthouse, improve docking facilities, and develop the onshore building as a visitor center, museum, and gift shop. In 2007, the foundation demanded the return of the lens from Rochester, but the Coast Guard stated it would stand by its current loan agreement, which ends in 2011. Located at the end of the Lorain Harbor West Breakwater. View from boat ramps behind the water treatment plant at the foot of Oberlin Street in downtown Lorain. Site and tower closed except for occasional guided tours. Owner: Port of Lorain Foundation, Inc. Site manager: Lorain Lighthouse Foundation. ARLHS USA-453; USCG 7-4335.

1917 Lorain Harbor Light, July 2009 Creative Commons photo by Courtney Emery

Lorain Harbor (5) (Lorain East Breakwater)

1965. Active; focal plane 60 ft (18 m); white flash every 6 s. 55 ft (16.5 m) square cylindrical steel tower rising from a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Lighthouse painted white with green trim. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) as needed. Rona Proudfoot has a photo, Matt Dempsey has a winter photo, Anderson has a small photo, Penberthy has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. This tower replaced the 1917 lighthouse (previous entry) as the official Lorain Harbor Light. Usually omitted from lists of Ohio lighthouses, it attracts almost no attention. Located at the end of the detached Lorain Harbor East Outer Breakwater. Accessible only by boat. View from boat ramps behind the water treatment plant at the foot of Oberlin Street in downtown Lorain. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1037; USCG 7-4320.

Cuyuhoga County (Cleveland City) Lighthouses

Cleveland Waterworks Intake Crib Date unknown. Active; focal plane 55 ft (17 m); quick-flashing white light. 17 m (56 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower, unpainted; the light is shown from a small quadrupod mounting on the roof. Fog horn (one 3 s blast every 30 s). Ecowatch Ohio has a 2009 photo of the crib, which carries a tall mast collecting data on the feasibility of installing wind turbines in the area. Located in the lake about 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of the harbor entrance. There should be distant views from Edgewater or Lakewood Parks on the west side of downtown Cleveland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. USCG 7-4030. Cleveland Harbor Main Entrance (West Pierhead) (2) 1911 (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 63 ft (19 m); flash every 5 s, alternating red and white. 67 ft (20 m) round cast iron sparkplug style tower incorporating 3-story keeper's quarters and attached to a 1-1/2 story cast iron fog signal building (1916); solar-powered 300 mm lens (?). Building painted white, lantern black with red roof. The original 4th order Fresnel lens is on display at the Great Lakes Science Center. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s) as needed. The lighthouse is floodlit at night. Bash's photo is at right, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The first lighthouse was relocated here from the Rochester, New York, West Pierhead. In 1911 the breakwater was extended and the older light was demolished. In 2007 the lighthouse was offered for transfer under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. There were no takers, and the lighthouse was to be sold at auction. If this has happened, we do not know the results. Located on a concrete platform at the end of the stone pier. Accessible only by boat (pier does not connect to shore); harbor cruises provide a good view. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-178; USCG 7-4160.

Cleveland Harbor Light, August 2008 Creative Commons photo copyright C.W. Bash

Cleveland Harbor East Breakwater (East Pierhead)

1911. Active; focal plane 39 ft (12 m); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 31 ft (9.5 m) round cast iron tower; solar-powered 300 mm lens. Tower white, lantern black. Schultheiss has a photo, Rona Proudfoot's panoramic photo shows both pierhead lighthouses, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. In 2005, the Coast Guard removed the lighthouse temporarily in order to repair the pier; a photo shows that it was back by November. In 2007 the lighthouse was offered for transfer under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. There were no takers, and in August 2009 the lighthouse was sold at auction for $10,000 to Gary Zaremba, president of the Artisan Restoration Group of New York. Zaremba said he "plans to rent it out to boaters looking for a place to dock and enjoy the downtown skyline." Located on a concrete platform at the end of the stone pier. Accessible only by boat (pier does not connect to shore); harbor cruises provide a good view. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-177; USCG 7-4165.

[Cleveland East Entrance (2)]

Date unknown (station established 1915). Active; focal plane 59 ft (18 m); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. Red lens mounted on a 47 ft (14 m) round cylindrical steel tower, painted white with a red band. This modern aid to navigation is a "D9" tower like many other pierhead lights on the Great Lakes. The Coast Guard has a historic photo of the original light. Located at the end of a breakwater on the east side of Cleveland Harbor, near I-90 exit 176. Accessible only by boat (the pier does not connect to shore). There are good views from Cleveland Lakefront State Park. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 7-4060.

Lake County (Fairport Harbor) Lighthouses

Fairport Harbor West Breakwater

1925. Active; focal plane 56 ft (17 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 42 ft (13 m) square cast iron tower attached to a 2-story cast iron keeper's house; 300 mm lens. Building painted white with red roof. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s). Sibling of the Lorain Light (above). Bill Britten has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo. Lighthouse Digest has Tim Harrison's feature story on the history of Fairport lighthouses. In 2005, the lighthouse became available for transfer under NHLPA. One or more applicants were granted extensions, but ultimately no satisfactory application was received. In late September 2009, the General Services Administration offered the lighthouse for sale online. It was sold for $77,000 to Jerome T. Osborne, a local businessman and contractor, who said he intended to preserve the lighthouse and work to open it to the public. However, Osborne defaulted on the purchase, and in July 2010 the lighthouse was back up for auction. In October it was sold to Scott Monroe, of Seabrook, Texas, for $82,500. However, Monroe failed to complete his purchase, and the lighthouse was back on the auction block in May 2011. This time it was sold to Sheila Consaul of Reston, Virginia, who plans to renovate the lighthouse as a summer residence; in November she told the local press that she'll begin work in the spring. Located close to the end of the stone breakwater; the breakwater is reported to be uneven and somewhat dangerous to walk. At the very end of the breakwater is the Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Extension Light, a post light (focal plane 46 ft; red flash every 2.5 s; USCG 7-3865). There's a good view from nearby Headlands Beach State Park. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-280; USCG 7-3870.

* [Fairport Harbor West Pier] Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 ft (6 m); continuous red light. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical "D9" tower, painted white with one horizontal red band. Anderson has a photo showing the Grand River lighthouse in the background. Located at the end of a short pier on the west side of the entrance to the Grand River. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. USCG 7-3880. ** Grand River (Fairport Harbor) (2) 1871 (station established 1825). Inactive since 1925. 69 ft (21 m) unpainted round sandstone tower; original 3rd order Fresnel lens still mounted in tower. A well-preserved light station with the original 2-story brick keeper's quarters, steel oil house (1904), barn, and other structures. Sibling of the Erie Land Light in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Doug Kerr's photo is at right, Anderson has a good page for the station, Lighthouse Digest has a feature on the lights and lost lights of Fairport Harbor, and Google has a satellite view. Local protests prevented the demolition of the lighthouse when it was replaced by the breakwater light in 1925. In 1945, the Fairport Harbor Historical Society was founded specifically to establish a maritime museum in the old lighthouse. Located at Second and High Streets in Fairport Harbor. Site open, museum and tower open (small admission fee) in the afternoons on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays late May through mid September. Owner/site manager: Fairport Harbor Marine Museum. ARLHS USA-279.

Old Fairport Harbor Light, November 2009 Creative Commons photo by Doug Kerr

Ashtabula County Lighthouses

Ashtabula Harbor (3)

1905 (station established 1836). Active; focal plane 51 ft (15.5 m); yellow flash every 6 s. 40 ft (12 m) round cylindrical tower rising from the center of the roof of a 2-story square wood keeper's house; building painted white with a red roof. Original fog signal building attached as an annex. Anderson has photos and the history of the station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated 1750 ft (533 m) to the end of the breakwater in 1916; at the same time it was expanded substantially to provide quarters for the keepers. The previous 2-story wood keeper's house (1871-1898) on shore is now the Ashtabula Marine Museum; a 4th order Fresnel lens (1896), used here 1959-1995, is on display. Lighthouse Digest has a March 2006 article on restoration of the Fresnel lens by Jim Woodward. The lighthouse survived a collision with the Canadian steamer Gleneagles in 1927. The Ashtabula Lighthouse Restoration and Preservation Society was formed to work for restoration of the lighthouse. In 2004 the National Park Service recommended transfer of the lighthouse to the society under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, and the transfer was completed in April 2007. In July, there was a proposal to construct a walkway on the breakwater to provide access to the lighthouse. Located near the end of the west breakwater, which extends 1.3 mi (2.1 km) into the lake. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed except for occasional guided tours; museum open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and holiday afternoons Memorial Day through August, Saturdays and Sundays in September; tower closed. Owner/site manager: Ashtabula Lighthouse Restoration and Preservation Society. ARLHS USA-020; USCG 7-3745.

* Conneaut Harbor (West Breakwater) (5)

1936 (F.P. Dillon and W. G. Will) (station established 1835). Active; focal plane 80 ft (24 m); flash every 5 s, alternating red and white. 70 ft (21 m) square cylindrical Art Moderne steel tower on a square base, mounted on a stone foundation at the end of the breakwater. 375 mm lens. The lantern was removed in 1972. Lighthouse painted white with a single black band. Schultheiss has a good photo by Greg Lortz, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo showing the original lantern. Conneaut Port Authority webcams give a distant view of the lighthouse and its photo gallery has several images including a closeup view. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the third (1890s) lighthouse, which was at the end of a nearby pier. This lighthouse replaced a massive masonry lighthouse built in 1917. In late 2008, the General Services Administration sold the lighthouse at auction for $35,000 to Gary Zaremba. However, Zaremba abandoned his purchase after he was unable to get a lease for the bottomlands from the State of Ohio. The lighthouse was to be back on the auction block in 2010. Apparently the auction has been postponed. Located at the end of the breakwater west of the entrance to Conneaut Harbor (Conneaut is pronounced "con-e-aught"). Accessible by walking the pier; there's also a good view from Lakeview City Park. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. General Services Administration. Operator: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-190; USCG 7-3705.

Grand Lake St. Mary's (Mercer County) Lighthouses
Note: Grand Lake St. Mary's is a rather shallow lake about 8 mi (13 km) long and 3 mi (5 km) wide, located mostly in Mercer County southwest of Lima in western Ohio. The principal towns on the lake are Celina at the northwestern corner and St. Mary's at the northeastern corner.

* Celina 1986. Active; focal plane 50 ft (15 m); white light. 40 ft (12 m) round conical tower on a circular stone base; observation platform at the top of the base. Tower painted white, lantern black. Anderson has a nice page on the lighthouse, Huelse has a postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Built as a civic improvement project by the Celina Rotary Club, this is one of the best known "inland" lighthouses of the U.S. Located on South Main Street off US 127 and OH 29 in downtown Celina. Site and observation platform open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of Celina. * Grimm Memorial (Behm's Landing) 2003. Active; focal plane about 52 ft (16 m); white light. 48 ft (14.5 m) octagonal stucco-clad tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Anderson has a page with good photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was built by Stan and Laura Grimm in memory of their son Stan, who was killed in an automobile accident in 1997. The light marks the entrance to a creek lined by private homes. Located on an island on the south shore of the lake at Behm's Landing; there's a good view from Behm's Restaurant, 5490 Behm Road. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. Northwood 1923. Inactive for many years. Tall (65 ft?) round conical tower, painted white; lantern is gray. Anderson has a page with a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Anderson describes the tower as being 50 ft (15 m) tall, but it appears taller in the photos. Located at the end of Northwood Dr off county road 703 on the north shore of Grand Lake St. Mary's about 5 mi (8 km) east of Celina. Visible from boats on the lake. Site and tower closed (private property). Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-928.

Celina Light, December 2007 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Information on Lost Lighthouses

• Cleveland Harbor (1873-), Cuyahoga County. ARLHS USA-920.
• Fairport Harbor East Pier (1875-?), Lake County. ARLHS USA-1196.
• Maumee Bay Range (1855-?), Lucas County. ARLHS USA-1038 (front) and 485 (rear).
• Sandusky Bay Inner Range Front (1896-1926) and Rear (1896-1940s), Erie County. ARLHS USA-728 (front) and 729 (rear).
• Sandusky Bay Outer Range Front (1900-1926) and Rear (1900-1940s), Erie County. ARLHS USA-1199 (front) and 1200 (rear).

Notable faux lighthouses:

• Cedar Point (2007?); in addition to the real lighthouse (see above), a tall faux lighthouse has been built near Cedar Point.
• DeJane Memorial (2006), Lake Cable, Canton; the lighthouse, a 1/3 scale replica of the Marblehead Light, is active but does not function as an aid to navigation.

Adjoining pages: North: Southwestern Ontario | East: Pennsylvania | West: Michigan's Eastern Lower Peninsula

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Last checked and revised April 24, 2011. Lighthouses: 30. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.