Description: Marblehead Lighthouse, built in 1821, Marblehead, Ottawa County, Ohio, ca. 1940-1949. Marblehead Lighthouse is located on the tip of the Marblehead Peninsula in Marblehead, Ohio. It has operated since 1822 and is the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the US side of the Great Lakes. In 1858, initially used whale oil lamps were replaced by a single kerosene lantern, which in turn was replaced by electric light in 1923. A lifesaving station was built a short distance from the lighthouse in 1876. Marblehead Lighthouse was one of five lighthouses included in the "Lighthouses of the Great Lakes" postage stamp series designed by Howard Koslow in 1995. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00392
Subjects: Marblehead Light (Ohio); Lighthouses; Erie, Lake, Coast (Ohio); Women--Employment; Ships; Marblehead (Ohio); National Register of Historic Places; National parks & reserves
Places: Marblehead (Ohio); Ottawa County (Ohio)
 

Description: This color photographs shows the lighthouse at Marblehead, Ohio, at sunset. The lighthouse was built in 1822 to guide sailors safely along the rocky coastline of Lake Erie. It was added to the National Register of Historical Places on December 17, 1969. The image was submitted in the Spirit of Ohio Bicentennial Photo Contest. In August 1976, the Ohio American Revolution Bicentennial Advisory Committee (OARBAC) began the Spirit of Ohio Bicentennial Photo Contest as part of a larger effort in Ohio to celebrate the 1976 American Bicentennial. The contest was meant to document "the spirit and character of the people and places which represent Ohio during [the] bicentennial year," and to create a permanent photographic archive of the year's festivity for use by future researchers. Both professional and amateur photographers submitted over 500 photographs for consideration, all taken within the state between January 1 and December 31, 1976. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL07005
Subjects: American Revolution Bicentennial (1976); Marblehead Light (Ohio); Lighthouses--Ohio; State parks & reserves; Lake Erie
Places: Marblehead (Ohio); Ottawa County (Ohio)
 

Description: This color image shows an exterior view of Marblehead Lighthouse, located at the tip of Marblehead Peninsula on Lake Erie's Ohio coastline. The lighthouse stands in the center of the image, framed by a blue sky and lush green trees. The commanding view from the top of the lighthouse showcases several Lake Erie islands, a glacial alavar below, and a view of the Cleveland shoreline on clear days. Built in 1821, the lighthouse is constructed of limestone covered with white stucco. In its early days the lighthouse guided ships into Sandusky Bay using 13 whale-oil lamps and 16-inch reflectors. Technological improvements have included a single kerosene lamp and Fresnel lens (1858); a mechanism to rotate the lantern; electric light (1923); automation (1958); and a 300 mm beacon that flashes a green light (ca. 1969). For many years it was the only lighthouse in the Sandusky Bay area. Benajah Wolcott (1762-1832) was the first keeper of the Marblehead Lighthouse (originally called the Sandusky Bay Light). After his death, the U.S. government appointed his widow, Rachel Miller Wolcott, to the post, making her the first female lighthouse keeper on the Great Lakes. The second female lighthouse keeper was Johanne McGee, who held the position after the death of her husband, keeper George McGee. She served from 1896 to 1903. A total of fifteen civilian keepers have tended the light. The United States Coast Guard has been responsible for the maintenance of the beacon since 1946. Beginning in 1972, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has maintained the property surrounding the lighthouse. The area became a state park in 1998. The keeper’s house was built in 1880 and is now a museum staffed by historical society volunteers. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06630
Subjects: Marblehead Light (Ohio); Lighthouses; Erie, Lake, Coast (Ohio); Women--Employment; Ships; Marblehead (Ohio); National Register of Historic Places; National parks & reserves
Places: Marblehead (Ohio); Ottawa County (Ohio)