Ohio State Parks
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Marblehead Lighthouse State Park

Marblehead Lighthouse (NW)

Address/Directions

110 Lighthouse Drive,
Marblehead, OH 43440

Contact & Mailing Address

East Harbor State Park,
1169 North Buck Road,
Lakeside-Marblehead, OH 43440

East Harbor Park Office

419-734-4424

Maps

Park Map

GPS Coordinates:

41.535246, -82.713318

Information

Marblehead Lighthouse is one of Lake Erie’s best known and most-photographed landmarks!

The grounds surrounding the lighthouse offer excellent picnicking and views of Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay, Kelleys Island and South Bass Island.

A museum, located in the Keeper’s House and operated by the Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society, is open whenever the tower is open.

History of the Area

Marblehead Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the Great Lakes, has guided sailors safely along the rocky shores of Marblehead Peninsula since 1822.

In 1819, the fifteenth U. S. Congress recognized the need for navigational aides along the Great Lakes, and set aside $5,000 for construction of a light tower at the entrance to Sandusky Bay. Contractor William Kelly built the 50-foot tower of native limestone on the tip of the Marblehead Peninsula. The base of the tower is 25 feet in diameter, with walls five feet thick. It narrows to twelve feet at the top with two-foot thick walls.

Through history, fifteen lighthouse keepers, two of whom were women, have tended the beacon. The first keeper was Benajah Wolcott, a Revolutionary War veteran and one of the first settlers on the peninsula. He and his family lived in a small stone home on the Sandusky Bay side of the peninsula. Each night, he lit the wicks of the thirteen whale oil lamps that were the original light fixture. Sixteen-inch-diameter metal reflectors helped project the light across the lake. Other duties of the lighthouse keeper included keeping a log of passing ships, noting the weather conditions, and organizing rescue efforts. Upon Wolcott’s death in 1832, his wife, Rachel, took over these duties.

The whale oil lamps were replaced in 1858 by the light from a single kerosene lantern magnified by a Fresnel lens. This specialized, curved glass lens created a highly visible, fixed white light.

A lifesaving station was built one-half mile west of the lighthouse in 1876. Lucien Clemons, who with his two brothers saved two sailors from a shipwreck off the peninsula on May 1, 1875, was named the first commander. In 1880, the lighthouse keeper’s household moved to a wooden frame home in a more convenient location, next to the lighthouse.

The turn of the century ushered in new technology as well as structural changes including the addition of another 15 feet to the tower’s height. A clock-like mechanism was installed to rotate the lantern, creating the appearance of a brilliant flash of light every 10 seconds. This system required that the lighthouse keeper crank the weights every three hours through the night to keep the lantern turning. An improved Fresnel lens with prism surfaces created an even more brilliant beacon.

Modern conveniences came slowly to the timeless light tower. An electric light finally replaced the kerosene lantern in 1923, dramatically increasing the candlepower of the signal. During World War II, the lighthouse became strategically important for national defense. The last civilian lighthouse keeper resigned, and the United States Coast Guard assumed responsibility for the beacon in 1946.

The beacon was automated in 1958, making the Coast Guard’s job easier. With its original finish tattered by time and harsh weather, the exterior of the lighthouse tower was given a fresh coat of new stucco the same year.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has maintained the property surrounding the lighthouse since 1972 and proudly accepted ownership of the Marblehead Lighthouse tower in May 1998. The U.S. Coast Guard continues to operate and maintain the lighthouse beacon. Today’s 300 mm lens projects a green signal that flashes every six seconds and is visible for eleven nautical miles. The distinctive green distinguishes the lighthouse signal from white lights coming from air beacons.

Marblehead’s beloved beacon continues to shine and protect boaters from peril in Lake Erie’s unpredictable waters along her rocky shores.

Lighthouse Tours

  • Tours are offered by the East Harbor Naturalist and volunteers as follows for 2012:
    • Weekdays (Monday – Friday) between Tuesday, May 29 and Friday, August 31 from 12:00 noon until 3:45 PM
    • Sunday evenings between June 3 and August 26 from 4:00 PM until 5:45 PM
    • Second Saturday of the month between June and October from 11:00 AM until 3:45 PM
  • There is a $2 fee for adults and children ages 6 and up • Children under age 6 are free

Picnicking

  • The grounds surrounding Marblehead Lighthouse offer excellent picnicking
  • Tables are supported by concrete pads
  • Portable restrooms are available

Area Attractions

  • The Lake Erie Island State Parks are comprised of six park areas:
    • Catawba Island provides picnic areas, a fishing pier and launch ramps
    • Kelleys Island offers camping swimming, fishing and hiking and features natural areas including the famous glacial grooves, historic limestone quarries, North Shore Alvar and North Pond state nature preserves • Island Yurts and Rent-A-Camp offer unique lakefront accommodations in the campground
    • South Bass Island offers camping along with weekly rental of the Rustic Cottage and Cabents, providing a convenient base for day trips to the many attractions at Put-in-Bay
    • Oak Point on South Bass Island offers boat docks & a picnic area with grills
    • Middle Bass Island, currently under development, offers transient docking facilities for Lake Erie boaters, a primitive campground, and a picnic area
    • North Bass Island has no public facilities available
  • On the mainland, East Harbor State Park, on Marblehead Pensinsula, offers a large campground with Rent-A-RV, along with swimming, fishing, boating, and hiking
  • Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge borders the park to the southwest
  • Several state nature preserves are located in the area
  • The historic stone home of the first lighthouse keeper, Benejah Wolcott, has been preserved as the “Keeper’s House” and is open to the public on 2nd Saturdays, June-September • Tours are also offered by appointment. Call the Ottawa County Visitors’ Bureau at 419-734-4386 for information
  • The Ottawa County Historic Museum in Port Clinton features an exhibit on the Battle of Lake Erie
  • For more information on area attractions, visit