Ohio - Lorain West Breakwater Lighthouse

The Lorain West Breakwater Lighthouse, also known as the Lorain Harbor Lighthouse, was built in 1917 on Lake Erie at Lorain, OH. The tower stands fifty-one feet tall with a lantern room which originally was equipped with a fourth order Fresnel lens. The light provided navigational assistance into the harbor until 1965 when it was deactivated and replaced by an automated light-tower at the end of the breakwater. After deactivation the lighthouse sat empty and neglected for years allowing deterioration and vandalism to abound. Efforts by authorities to tear down the lighthouse were met with several appeals by the town of Lorain. Finally, in 1977 the lighthouse was purchased for one dollar by the Lorain Historical Society. This lighthouse is registered in the National Register of Historical Places. After many hours of hard labor and expenditure of thousands of dollars making needed repairs, efforts headed by the historical society returned this lighthouse to a respectable historical landmark and museum in the Lorain Harbor. At the time of my visit in 2001 it was not open that day to the public.