Statistics shown below have been complied by me over the last tens or so years. You are encourage to fill in the blanks, question marks, errors etc.; and contribute what you know about the history of this Piehead Light along the shores of Lake Erie. You can email me at surfmen1258@gmail.com or comment on my blog. I look forward to each of your replies.

Ashtabula Pierhead Light

1878, 1892, 1905, 1916, 1917 & 1959

Ashtabula, Ohio

STATS

Operational From: 1878 to Present
Construction Cost: $ 0,000.00 in 1878 (Deeded .74 Acres of Land & Building)
                               $ 0,000.00 in 1905 (New Pierhead Light)
                               $ 0,000.00 in 1916 (Concrete Cribbing & Light Relocation)
                               $ 0,000.00 in 1917 (Move to present location & enlarge light)
                               $ 0,000.00 in 1959 (New 4^th Order Fresnel Len)
Administered by: United States Lighthouse Service from 1835 to 1915
                             United States Coast Guard from 1915 to 1984
                             Ashtabula Historical Society from 1984 to Present
Lake Erie Elevation:         feet above sea level
Tower Height: 40 feet
Light Sources: Single Mantel 35 mm Oil Type “A’ Lamp 600 Candlepower, Light 14,000
                        Candlepower from 1878 to 1995
                        Two 12-volt DC Solar Batteries from 1995 to Present
Lens: 4^th Order Fresnel Len from 1876 to 1959
          4^th Order Fresnel Len from 1959 to 1995
          300 Millimeter Tideland Signal Acrylic Lens from 1995 to Present
Lens Manufacturer:
Light Visibility Range: 17 miles from 1878 to 1959
                                      19 miles from 1959 to Present
Flashing Sequence: Fixed Red Light from 1876 to 1905
                                Flashes White 5 seconds (Flash 0.6 sec., eclipse 4.4 sec.) from 1905 to ?
                                Six Yellow Flashes from ? to ?
Light Activation by: Weighted Centrifugal Governor
Light Focal Plane: 51 feet above the lake from 1916 to Present
Automated: 1973

FOG SIGNAL

Operational From: 1835 to Present
Powered by: “Spiro” Air Motor, Manufactured by Buffalo Forge Company
Manufacturer: Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company
Tone: First Class Siren (Diaphone) from 1905 to 1973
Electric from 1973 to Present
Sound Sequence: 2 second blast every 18 seconds.
Fog Horn Operation:
Fog Horn Range: miles

KEEPER’S HISTORY

Captain Bigelow, Keeper from 1836 to 1837 (?)
Samuel Minger, Keeper from 1837 to 1838
Fayette E. Walworth, Keeper from 1894 to 1905 (Resigned)
George V. Codding, 1^st Assistant from 1896 to 1901
Frederick J. Hartley, 1^st Assistant from 1904 to 1907
Joseph F. Crawford, Keeper from ? to ?
Charles W. Anderson, Keeper from 1905 to 1915
Frank L. Sellman, 2^nd Assistant from 1915 to 1917
Frank L. Sellman, 1^st Assistant from 1917 to 1919
Francis E. Comeford, 2^nd Assistant from 1919 to 1926
Wylie Edwin Koepka, 3^rd Assistant from 1920 to 1927 (Promoted)
Frank L. Sellman, Keeper from 1921 to 1929
Francis E. Comeford, 1^st Assistant from 1926 to 1929
Wylie Edwin Koepka, 2^nd Assistant from 1927 to 1929 (Promoted)
Eugene A. Ray, 3^rd Assistant from 1927 to 1929
Francis E. Comeford, Keeper from 1929 to 1932
Wylie E. Koepka, 1^st Assistant from 1929 to 1933 (Promoted Transferred - Galloo Island)
Eugene A. Ray, 2^nd Assistant from 1929 to 1933
Eugene A. Ray, 3^rd Assistant from 1933 to 1937
Eugene A. Ray, Keeper from 1937 to 1940
Neil Barton, Keeper from ? to ? (USCG)
Noel “Buck” Price, Keeper 1950’s

GREAT LAKES LIGHTHOUSE HISTORIAN