Erie's History and Memorabilia

The Presque Isle, North Pierhead Lighthouse, also known as the, Erie Harbor North Pierhead Light, is one of the three lighthouses near Erie. The light, situated at the far eastern end of Presque Isle State Park, helps mariners as they traverse the narrow inlet between Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay. Originally constructed as a wooden tower in 1818, that light was swept away by a schooner in 1855, it was powered by whale oil, and had to be constantly attended. When mariners were approaching the channel, many times they had difficulty spotting the pier light until they were right on top of it. To help solve this problem, in 1854, the light was equipped with a new sixth-order Fresnel lens, so that the beacon could be more easily seen. This apparatus had an illuminating arc of 270 degrees, which was a great improvement from the former light. In an inspection report of 1837 it was noted that Erie’s Harbor was served by a lighthouse and a beacon. The lighthouse was the Erie Land Ligh

Presque Isle Lighthouse is located on the north shore of Presque Isle State Park at Lighthouse Beach in Erie. The construction of the lighthouse began in September of 1872 and was completed in July of 1873. Initially the square brick tower was only 40 feet high so an additional 17 feet were added to the tower in 1896 to enhance the projection of the light from the Fresnel Lens out into the lake. The Presque Isle Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 4, 1983, as part of a group listing of lighthouses and light stations operated by the United States Coast Guard on the Great Lakes. Erie Land Lighthouse was the first lighthouse at Erie, also the first American lighthouse on the Great Lakes. It was constructed on a mainland bluff in 1818, not far from the site of Fort Presque Isle. In 1870, plans were begun for a lighthouse on the north shore of the Presque Isle peninsula that would replace Erie Land Lighthouse on the mainland. This new light would be sever

The Erie Land Light, also known as the Old Presque Isle Light stands on the shore of Lake Erie. It is one of the three lighthouses in Erie, along with the Presque Isle Light and the North Pier Light. The lighthouse is situated on the bluffs overlooking the lake in Lighthouse Park east of downtown Erie. Recognizing the need to improve navigation on the Great Lakes and mark important harbors, Congress passed an act in 1810 authorizing the construction and appropriated $1,600 for the first two lighthouses on the Great Lakes; one to be located at the junction of Buffalo Creek and Lake Erie and the other on or near Presque Isle. A total of 2 to 4 acres of land overlooking the entrance to the channel into Presque Isle Bay was ceded by Brigadier General John Kelso of the Pennsylvania militia on April 2, 1811, for the lighthouse. Though Congress provided money for construction of the lighthouse in 1810 and 1811, the work was delayed by the outbreak of the War of 1812. A new