Lorain Harbor Lighthouse, Lorain Ohio
The Lorain Lighthouse is an interesting and quite unique example of a type of structure that is fast vanishing from America. It has been a prominent landmark in Lorain harbor since its construction and is visible from the shore as well as from Lake Erie. Its rather isolated setting imparts a picturesque, yet Very isolated atmosphere that is commonly associated with lighthouses. In addition, the lighthouse has a strong connection with the development of Lorain, since it was the extensive harbor improvements, of which this lighthouse was a part, that enabled Lorain to meet the needs of its new heavy industry at the turn of the century.
The lighthouse was erected in 1909 at a cost of $19,800 by the Light House Board as part of federally sponsored improvements to the Lorain harbor. The Johnson Steel Company had located a major steel mill in Lorain in 1894 and a large shipbuilding company had located in Lorain as well. lt was necessary in order to facilitate the loading and transfer of iron ore and coal and to insure the safe movement of traffic from the shipyards, that a dredged channel and breakwalls be constructed. The lighthouse was an integral part of these improvements, as it served to guide ships into the harbor from Lake Erie and served as a reference point for those travelling to other destinations. It was built of concrete and steel so that the building could resist the fierce storms for which Lake Erie is famous. Like many older lighthouses, this building was built as a residence as well as a light station.
In 1965 the Federal Government announced that a contract for demolition of the lighthouse had been awarded, since a new, unmanned and totally automated light was being erected further out, along a new breakwall. This touched off a local controversy. A citizens group for the preservation of the lighthouse was organized and a resolution supporting the preservation of the lighthouse was passed by city council. After nearly a year of negotiations, in which ex-Congressman Mosher played a key role, the Coast Guard finally relented and the demolition contract was canceled. In 1973 the General Services Administration declared the building surplus property and put it up for disposal. A picturesque photo showing a silhouette of the building against a sunset over Lake Erie advertising the building for sale was picked up by a wire service and used in newspapers all over the world. Finally, in 1976, title to the building was transferred to the Lorain County Historical Society and the non-profit organization is charged with finding funds for the restoration and maintenance of the building.
Lighthouse Description
The lighthouse structure rests atop a large rectangular concrete foundation in Lake Erie. It is located at the northern tip of the western breakwall of Lorain harbor. The lighthouse is an isolated structure, accessible only by boat. The concrete base rises about fifteen feet above the water and forms a platform for the lighthouse with space for a ten-foot walkway around the perimeter of the lighthouse. The southern edge of the platform is joined by the breakwall, which is composed of large irregular pieces of stone piled up randomly.
The building is a rectangular structure with all of its walls built of poured concrete. It is three stories tall and has a raised basement. The building is topped by a gable roof that gives it a residential character. Window openings are regularly spaced, as on a house, and have steel exterior shutters, which give the building, from a distance, even more residential character. The lighthouse tower rises from the northeast corner of the building. It is a square, cupola-like structure that extends just beyond the roof of the lighthouse. The tower is capped by an exterior walkway with balustrade and a small round structure that houses the beacon. There is no ornament on this building, other than the railings at the base and around the cupola of the building. The vertical proportions of the lighthouse, its steep gable roof and the asymmetrical tower give it a quaint, picturesque appearance, however.
The walls of the lighthouse are composed of ten-and-a-half-inch poured concrete, tile and steel. The baseboards and window frames are made of steel. The basement contains a freshwater pump, fuel oil tanks, and a paint locker. The first floor contains the engine room, with air compressors for the fog horn, and auxiliary power generators. The second floor has the living spaces, a bunk room, gallery, recreation room, and office. The third floor houses a freshwater tank, equipment storage and the mechanism for the fog horn. The beacon is located atop the building, 58 feet above Lake Erie. The lighthouse originally utilized a holophotal lens, composed of a large glass cylinder with mirrors and other apparatus to refract the light into one direction. This commonly used dioptric lens was invented by Jean Augustin Fresnel, later perfected by Thomas Stevenson, and is sometimes called a Fresnel lens. This lens has, however, been removed and a small red marker light inserted in its place.
When the harbor improvements at Loretin were made in 1909, this lighthouse was constructed as the primary light, used to oe Lorain harbor. Three people from the U.S. Coast Guard were stationed at this lighthouse and charged with operating the light. Another light, much smaller, was used as a marker light to define the edge of the east breakwall for ships entering the harbor. As part of extensive improvements to the Lorain harbor made in the 1960s, a new outer breakwall was constructed, necessitating the removal of the primary harbor light to the outer edge of this wall. A new automatic light was put into operation in early 1966 and this building ceased to function as a lighthouse. In the twelve years since its abandonment, deterioration has taken its toll, although the basic structure remains solid.
Southeast corner looking northwest (1978)
