The Marblehead Lighthouse is at the entrance to Sanduskey Bay in Ottawa County and began operations at Rocky Point (go there and you will see why they call it that) in 1822 and has had 16 keepers in the past, including two women. In the early days, the light was lit with whale oil.
The state of Ohio took over ownership in 1972 and it became a state park in 1973. So far, some $3 million has been spent to rehabilitate it and the keeper's house. It also has the original Fresnel Lens.
BENAJAH WOLCOTT, FIRST KEEPER
The first keeper was a Revolutionary War veteran and an early Marblehead settler who received a $350 a year salary to nightly light the whale oil lamps. Metal reflectors helped project the light out into the lake.
He built a limestone house 3 miles away and it is the oldest house in Ottawa County. The Ottawa County Historical Society manages it. Wolcott died of cholera in 1832, and his wife Rachel assumed the job.
They have a Lighthouse Festival on the second Saturday in October.
We'll Leace the Light On. --RoadDog
RoadDog's RoadLog Blog: Being my travels down those great two lane highways of this nation as well as news I learn about them from media sources. Since I'm also very interested in historic preservation, there will be a lot of that as well.
The Shamrock Court Motel in Sullivan, Missouri. It can be yours for $125,000. Lots of possibilities. Actually, now you're too late. Missouri's Roamin' Rich bought it.
Showing posts with label Marblehead Lighthouse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marblehead Lighthouse. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
Lake Erie Lighthouses Shine On-- Part 5: Marblehead Lighthouse State Park
This lighthouse ranks as Liz and my favorite one as it was the one that got us "hooked" on lighthouses. Before going out to Put-in-Bay on our first trip, we decided to look around the mainland. Actually, we couldn't get a room on the island until the next day, so had some time to kill. We went, saw and got "hooked." This is why we have a Marblehead Lighthouse lamp and at least paintings/photos of it. Of course, not to mention the magnet somewhere on the refrigerator.
It is nearby to South Bass Island and the lighthouse there which i have written about in the last four posts. Like the other one, this one is also open to visitors and on the northeast corner of the Marblehead Peninsula. It is the oldest lighthouse in continuous use on the Great Lakes. "It is 182 years old and is a Lake Erie icon."
Originally standing 50 feet, it was raised to 67 feet and is 25 feet in diameter at its base with 5 foot thick walls, narrowing to 12 feet at the top (if you walk up the 77 steps.
--RoadDog
It is nearby to South Bass Island and the lighthouse there which i have written about in the last four posts. Like the other one, this one is also open to visitors and on the northeast corner of the Marblehead Peninsula. It is the oldest lighthouse in continuous use on the Great Lakes. "It is 182 years old and is a Lake Erie icon."
Originally standing 50 feet, it was raised to 67 feet and is 25 feet in diameter at its base with 5 foot thick walls, narrowing to 12 feet at the top (if you walk up the 77 steps.
--RoadDog
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