"Old Presque Isle Light"
1813, 1818, 1858, 1867, 1880, 1885, 1899, 1901, 1934, 1977, 1979, 1990, 2003 & 2004
Erie, Pennsylvania
STATS
Years of Operation: 1818 to 1899
Construction Cost: Years of Operation: 1818 to 1899
Construction Cost: $ 7,000 in 1813 (Land, Building & Optics)
$00,000 in 1818 (Square 20 foot Tower)
$00,000 in 1858 (Foundation & 2nd Lighthouse 56 feet tall)
$40,000 in 1867 (Foundation & 3rd Lighthouse 49 feet tall)
$00,000 in 1880 (Lighthouse Sold)
$00,000 in 1885 (Foundation, 3rd Lighthouse & Optics Relit)
$ 1,800 in 1899 (Decommission Lighthouse)
$00,000 in 1901 (Optics Removed)
$00,000 in 1934 (City of Erie, Purchase Lighthouse)
$00,000 on September 13, 1977 (Historical American Building
Survey)
$00,000 in 1979 (Salt Box Style Keeper’s Quarters Renovated)
$00,000 in 1990 (Optics Relit)
$00,000 in May 5th 2003 (Lantern Room Destroyed Windstorm)
$00,000 on March 19th 2004 (New Lantern Room)
$400,000 on June 19th 2004 (Restoration Lantern Room, Stairs &
Brickwork)
Administered by: United States Lighthouse Service from 1818 to 1899
United States Coast Guard from 1899 to 1934
City of Erie Pennsylvania from 1934 to Present
Lake Erie Elevation: feet above sea level
Tower Height: 20 feet from 1818 to 1858
58 feet from 1858 to 1867
49 feet from 1867 to Present
Light Sources: Single Wick Mineral Oil Lamp from 1818 to 1880
Lens: 3rd Order Bi-Valve Fresnel Lens from 1818 to 1899
Lens Manufacturer: L. Sautter & Sons, Paris France 1817 to 1899
Light Visibility Range: 17 miles from 1818 to 1858
13 miles from 1858 to 1899
Flashing Sequence: Fixed White from 1818 to 1899
Light Focal Plane: 128 feet above the lake.
Decommissioned: 1880 (1st Time)
December 26, 1899 (2nd Time)
Keeper’s History
Captain John Bone, Keeper from 1818 to 1832
Robert Kincaid, Keeper from 1833 to 1841
Griffith Hinton, Keeper from 1841 to 1845
Eli Webster, Keeper from 1845 to 1849
James Miles, Keeper from 1849 to 1852
Isabel Miles, Keeper from 1853 to 1854
Captain John Graham, Keeper from 1854 to 1858
General James Fleming, Keeper from 1858 to 1858 (Drinking Problem & Fired)
A.C. Landon, Keeper from 1858 to 1861
John Goalding, Keeper from 1861 to 1864
George Desmond, Keeper from1864 to 1871
A.J. Fargo, Keeper from 1871 to 1880
Mrs. Fargo, 1st Assistant Keeper from 1871 to 1880
George W. Miller, Keeper from 1885 to 1899.
Information
Erie Land Light was constructed in 1813 along the shoreline of Lake Erie. In 1818, the light was first lit and guided vessels along Lake Erie coastline until 1857. During 1857, the first tower sank because the ground the main structure was built on became unstable. In 1865, the second tower met a similar fate and it sunk. Eight years later the third tower built in 1867 stands today as a monument to days long ago. In 1901 ,the 3rd Order Bi-Valve Fresnel Lens was removed from the lantern room and shipped to Marblehead Lighthouse where it continues its daily vigil across Lake Erie. There was a brief period in its history where the lighthouse was "Closed." Records states it was during the 1880’s and the cause of the closure was listed as a wind storm. The storm blew the lantern room of the top of the tower. Erie Land Light was without a lantern room for about four years.
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