STEWARDS OF THE STORMS
Beyond being populous picture-perfect spots, Ohio's Lake Erie lighthouses serve as a nighttime guardians for wayward ships. Each has a tale to tell.
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STEWARDS OF THE STORMS Beyond being populous picture-perfect spots, Ohio's Lake Erie lighthouses serve as a nighttime guardians for wayward ships. Each has a tale to tell. |
The Marblehead Lighthouse
As the oldest operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes, the Marblehead Lighthouse is also one of the most picturesque. Built in 1821, this 85 foot tall limestone lighthouse was built in 11 weeks. The first keeper, Benajah Wolcott, kept the lights 13 lamps fueled by whale oil. A specialized Fresnel lens, imported from France in 1903, produced a beacon that reached boaters within 16 miles. Updated with electricity in 1923, the lighthouse retired its lens in 1969. Its new 300 mm light flashes a green glow every three seconds. |
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Vermilion Lighthouse
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Built in 1847 and rebuilt in 1859, the Vermilion Lighthouse's cast iron construction ended in 1877, A 400 foot long catwalk ran parallel to a concrete pier, linking the lighthouse to the mainland. The brave keeper used this walkway to reach the lighthouse when waves crested over the pier. When the lighthouse began tilting toward the busy harbor in 1929, it was dismantled. Thanks to a group of concerned citizens, the lighthouse was rebuilt in 1992. Though eleven feet shorter than the original, this replica has a new home alone the shoreline bordering the Inland Seas Maritime Museum. Its 1891 Fresnel lens, found in the museum's archives, serves as yet another messenger in the night. |
