JUST FOLLOW THE LIGHT
Marblehead lures visitors with tours, other attractions
MARBLEHEAD — Lighthouses traditionally warn sailors away from land, but this year, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes will be attracting visitors like moths to a flame.
Marblehead Lighthouse, located near the mouth of Sandusky Bay, will host a variety of events all summer as it celebrates the bicentennial of its first lighting in 1822.
Now part of Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, the lighthouse, sitting on the easternmost point of the Marblehead Peninsula, still serves as a navigational beacon operated by the U.S. Coast Guard. But the lighthouse and surrounding parkland also serve as a pretty, historic destination for throngs of travelers who, these days, usually arrive by car.
History of the lighthouse
The tower was built with sturdy native limestone, which helps account for its longevity. At its base, the lighthouse is 25 feet in diameter with walls five feet thick, tapering smoothly to a 12-foot diameter at the top with two-foot thick walls.
The light atop the 50-foot tall structure has been updated many times. The beacon began as 13 separate lamps fueled with whale oil, which had to be replenished each night by the lighthouse keeper. Lake Erie, it might be noted, has no whales, so eventually the fuel was replaced with lard oil, coal oil and then kerosene.
As lake-going vessels got bigger, the lighthouse beacon was also updated to provide a warning farther and farther into the lake. The original lanterns were replaced in 1858 with a modern (for the time) single lantern with a Fresnel lens, which produced a brighter, focused beam. A large Fresnel lens was later installed
Today, visitors can see the second lens, itself a thing of beauty, in the Marblehead Historical Society museum located in the historic Keeper’s House next to the lighthouse.
In the 1890s, the beacon was raised an additional 15 feet with a brick addition to the top of the tower. The beacon
was first electrified in 1923, powered by a generator on-site.
Today a high-tech LED light serves as the lighthouse beacon, guiding ships up to 11 nautical miles from shore.
Getting a bird's-eye view
Tours of the lighthouse, which includes a climb to the top, will be offered from noon to 4 p.m. daily until Labor Day, Tickets cost $3 per person ages 6 and older.
The view is certainly breathtaking, with the roller coasters of Cedar Point amusement park, Kelleys Island and
Perry’s Monument at Put-in-bay all visible from a unique vantage point.
But, quite honestly, I prefer the view from the ground, not because I have any fear of heights, but because the lighthouse itself is so beautiful in its surroundings.
Marblehead Lighthouse may be, as some claim, the most photographed attraction in the state. But there are certainly few man-made objects in the Buckeye State so elegant in simplicity and form.
And the setting is definitely picturesque, with lake waves gently lapping or savagely crashing, depending on weather, on the giant rip-rap boulders protecting the shore and tower. (Lighthouse tours may be canceled during storms with high wind and lightning.)
Other area museums, attractions
The Keeper’s House museum and gift shop offers some captivating history of the Marblehead’s 15 keepers, including two female keepers, and of many other aspects of Marblehead history.
Also on-site is a replica of the Marblehead Lifesaving Station built in 1876. The building tells the story of the U.S. Lifesaving Service, the precursor to the Coast Guard, and contains an authentically restored 27-foot Coast Guard rescue
boat.
The newest feature of the park is one that will be, perhaps, the most appreciated by visitors — a large new restroom facility opened just last year.
Events to mark 200th birthday
Among the events to be held at the Marblehead Lighthouse this year is the lighthouse’s official 200th birthday celebration on June 22 followed by a Coast Guard Birthday Celebration on Aug. 4.
The lighthouse grounds will also host a number of musical events, including concerts by the Ohio State University Alumni Band on June 11, the Firelands Symphony Orchestra on July 2, and additional concerts on July 16, July 30, Aug. 6 and Aug. 28.
Other events include plein-air painting sessions on June 6, July 11 and Aug. 1, and a star party on Sept. 3.
For more information and for a complete schedule of events visit www.marbleheadlighthouseohio.org.
Visitors will also find many other things to see and do on the Marblehead Peninsula (www.themarbleheadpeninsula.com). In the quaint little town of Marblehead itself are several worthwhile stops including Rocky Point Winery, Marblehead Soap Company and Victory Coffee & Company.
And the many attractions of Sandusky, Port Clinton and Ohio’s Lake Erie Islands are just a few minutes away by car or ferry. Visit www.shoresandislands.com for more information.
Steve Stephens is a freelance travel writer and photographer. Email him at sjstephensjr@gmail.com.