| Activity |
Facilities |
Quantity |
| Resource |
Land, acres |
9 |
| |
Water, acres |
L. Erie |
| Activities |
Tours |
Yes |
| |
Picnicking |
yes |
Marblehead Lighthouse, one of Lake Erie's best known and most-photographed landmarks, is one of Ohio's newest state parks!
The grounds surrounding the lighthouse offer excellent picnicking and views of Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay, Kelleys Island and South Bass Island.
A museum, located in the Keeper's House and operated by the Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society, is open whenever the tower is open
Picnicking
- The grounds surrounding Marblehead Lighthouse offer excellent picnicking
- Tables are supported by concrete pads
- Portable restrooms are available
Lighthouse Tours
- Tours are offered on summer weekdays after Memorial Day until the Friday before Labor Day. Tours led by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, and on the second Saturday of the month May through October
- There is a $2 fee for adults and children ages 6 and up • Children under age 6 are free
History of the Area
Marblehead Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the Great Lakes, has guided sailors safely along the rocky shores of Marblehead Peninsula since 1822.
In 1819, the fifteenth U. S. Congress recognized the need for navigational aides along the Great Lakes, and set aside $5,000 for construction of a light tower at the entrance to Sandusky Bay. Contractor William Kelly built the 50-foot tower of native limestone on the tip of the Marblehead Peninsula. The base of the tower is 25 feet in diameter, with walls five feet thick. It narrows to twelve feet at the top with two-foot thick walls.
Through history, fifteen lighthouse keepers, two of whom were women, have tended the beacon. The first keeper was Benajah Wolcott, a Revolutionary War veteran and one of the first settlers on the peninsula. He and his family lived in a small stone home on the Sandusky Bay side of the peninsula. Each night, he lit the wicks of the thirteen whale oil lamps that were the original light fixture. Sixteen-inch-diameter metal reflectors helped project the light across the lake. Other duties of the lighthouse keeper included keeping a log of passing ships, noting the weather conditions, and organizing rescue efforts. Upon Wolcott's death in 1832, his wife, Rachel, took over these duties.
The whale oil lamps were replaced in 1858 by the light from a single kerosene lantern magnified by a Fresnel lens. This specialized, curved glass lens created a highly visible, fixed white light.
 A lifesaving station was built one-half mile west of the lighthouse in 1876. Lucien Clemons, who with his two brothers saved two sailors from a shipwreck off the peninsula on May 1, 1875, was named the first commander. In 1880, the lighthouse keeper's household moved to a wooden frame home in a more convenient location, next to the lighthouse.
The turn of the century ushered in new technology as well as structural changes including the addition of another 15 feet to the tower's height. A clock-like mechanism was installed to rotate the lantern, creating the appearance of a brilliant flash of light every 10 seconds. This system required that the lighthouse keeper crank the weights every three hours through the night to keep the lantern turning. An improved Fresnel lens with prism surfaces created an even more brilliant beacon.
Modern conveniences came slowly to the timeless light tower. An electric light finally replaced the kerosene lantern in 1923, dramatically increasing the candlepower of the signal. During World War II, the lighthouse became strategically important for national defense. The last civilian lighthouse keeper resigned, and the United States Coast Guard assumed responsibility for the beacon in 1946.
The beacon was automated in 1958, making the Coast Guard?s job easier. With its original finish tattered by time and harsh weather, the exterior of the lighthouse tower was given a fresh coat of new stucco the same year.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has maintained the property surrounding the lighthouse since 1972 and proudly accepted ownership of the Marblehead Lighthouse tower in May 1998. The U.S. Coast Guard continues to operate and maintain the lighthouse beacon. Today's 300 mm lens projects a green signal that flashes every six seconds and is visible for eleven nautical miles. The distinctive green distinguishes the lighthouse signal from white lights coming from air beacons.
Marblehead's beloved beacon continues to shine and protect boaters from peril in Lake Erie's unpredictable waters along her rocky shores.
Area Attractions
- The Lake Erie Island State Park is comprised of six park areas. Catawba Island, the headquarters, provides picnic areas, a fishing pier and launch ramps
- Kelleys Island offers camping swimming, fishing and hiking and features natural areas including the famous glacial grooves, historic limestone quarries, North Shore Alvar and North Pond state nature preserves • Island Yurts and Rent-A-Camp offer unique lakefront accommodations in the campground
- South Bass Island offers camping along with weekly rental of the Rustic Cottage and Cabents, providing a convenient base for day trips to the many attractions at Put-in-Bay
- Middle Bass Island, currently under development, offers transient docking facilities for Lake Erie boaters
- On the mainland, East Harbor State Park, on Marblehead Pensinsula, offers a large campground with Rent-A-RV, along with swimming, fishing, boating, and hiking. Crane Creek State Park, west of Port Clinton, is one of the state's foremost birding areas, especially during the spring and fall migrations. Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge borders the park to the southwest
- Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve, east of Huron, offers a visitor center and boarwalk trail through wetland habitats. West of Huron, Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve also encompasses a variety of wetland types.
- Other state nature preserves in the area include Erie Sand Barrens, south of Sandusky, and Dupont Marsh on the Huron River, three miles south of Huron
- Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve, is open to the public in May - at all other times, access to the preserve is by written permit only
- The historic stone home of the first lighthouse keeper, Benejah Wolcott, has been preserved as the "Keeper's House" and is open to the public on 2nd Saturdays, June-September. Tours are also offered by appointment. Call the Ottawa County Visitors' Bureau at 419-734-4386 for information
- The Ottawa County Historic Museum in Port Clinton features an exhibit on the Battle of Lake Erie
Driving Directions
- Take State Route 2 to State Route 269 North – East Harbor, Kelleys Island, Marblehead, Lakeside Exit
- Exit SR 2 and stay in left lane on SR 269 for approximately 2 miles
- At Intersection/stop light, make right turn onto SR163
- Park is located on SR 163 approximately 7 miles on left side, after town of Marblehead
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