|
Presque Isle is actually a sand spit peninsula that juts out
into Lake Erie from Erie, PA. The name is French for "almost
an island." In fact, storms have separated the sand spit
from the mainland four times since 1819.
In 1870, a new lighthouse was commissioned to replace the
Erie Land Light.
Work began in September 1872, and was
completed on July 1, 1873. The 40-foot tower was built of
brick, "five courses thick," to provide protection from the
storms of Lake Erie. The tower housed a fourth-order
Fresnel lens, visible for 13 miles. The light's signature
was two red flashes and four white. A keeper's residence was
attached to the tower, and a small oil house built nearby. A
1.5 mile road of sand and dirt was constructed to connect the
lighthouse with a boathouse in Misery Bay, on the south side
of Presque Isle. "Sidewalk Trail" was resurfaced with
concrete in 1925, and still exists today.
Until a road to the station was completed in 1927, Sidewalk
Trail was the only access from the station to the mainland.
Charles Waldo, first keeper of the station, described it as
"the loneliest place on earth." On July 12, 1873, he wrote
"This is a new station and a light will be exhibited for the
first time tonight - there was one visitor."
In 1896, the tower was raised to 57 feet. The station
received an alternating red and white electric light in the
1920's. This characteristic led locals to refer to the
lighthouse as the "flashlight." In 1962, a 250-watt white
light was installed. The station is fully automated and the
light is maintained by the Coast Guard. Today, the
lighthouse sits in Presque Isle State Park. The building
serves as the residence of the park manager.
Presque Isle State Park is well worth the visit. There are
numerous trails and beaches, and abundant wildlife. Boat
tours are available. Perry's Monument in Misery
Bay commemorates Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's victory over
the English in the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813. Perry's
vessels were built in Presque Isle Bay and stationed in
Misery Bay during the winter of 1813-1814. (Misery Bay gets
its name from the hardships endured by Perry's crew at that
time.)
The first channel light was established 1828, and marked the
southeastern tip of the peninsula. During an 1857 gale, the light was
toppled by a schooner. The light was replaced in 1858 by a cast iron
tower. The light was moved the end of a pier at the
tip of the peninsula in 1880, and moved along the
pier again in 1940. The keepers resided at what is now a nearby
Coast Guard station. The Fresnel lens was replaced by a modern optic
in 1995. Today, Presque Isle North Pier Light, a 30-foot
black and white steel tower, still marks the mouth of Presque Isle
Bay.
Seaway Trail Lighthouses (2nd Edition), Tinney, Burdett-Watkins p. 53
Lighthouses of the Seaway Trail (video)
|
