Pennsylvania - Presque Isle Lighthouse

The Presque Isle Lighthouse is located in the Presque Isle State Park, Lake Erie, PA. It was built in 1873. The final lighthouse design incorporated brick construction and the tower is five courses thick to enable it to withstand the severe cold and winds coming off the lake. Overall cost was $15,000 and the tower was originally forty-feet high. Then in 1896 the tower was increased to a height of fifty-seven feet. The tower is square on the outside, but inside it is circular and has a spiral staircase.

Attached to the tower is a ten-room residence that has retained much of the original architectural character. Conveniences such as running water, indoor plumbing, and electricity were not added until many years later. The interior of the residence still reflects a typical nineteenth century French architectural design with rounded corners and hand crafted woodwork. Most of the wood was milled from trees near the lighthouse.

The "oil room", later battery room, located at the base of the stairway was used to store a one night supply of oil for the lamp. Keepers kept a night-long vigil to ensure continuous flashing of the light to aid the heavy lake traffic of the 1800's. I visited this lighthouse in 2001, but was unable to see inside due to it being a residence.