Each of these coastal guardians has its own tale to tell.

by Christine Lorraine Morgan ~ August 3, 2024

Lighthouses were an absolute navigational necessity on Lake Erie prior to modern technology. At the port of Erie, PA there were three such crucial beacons in the 19th century. Each was strategically located to assist those attempting to enter the port city.

This historic trio of Lake Erie landmarks can still be seen along the shoreline in Erie, PA.

Here are some facts and details about all three.

North Pier Light

“Originally constructed as a wooden tower in 1830, that light was swept away by a schooner in 1857. The current structure was forged in France and assembled on site in Erie. It was moved in 1882 and again in 1940,” according to wikipedia.

The square-pyramidal design of the North Pier lighthouse is the last and only surviving example of this type of lighthouse still standing in the U.S. It is such a unique slice of navigational history that it was featured on a postage stamp in 2021 as part of the USPS’s Mid-Atlantic Lighthouse series.

Learn more here https://www.presqueislelighthouse.org/learn/north-pier-light

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Presque Isle Lighthouse

Presque Isle Lighthouse – 1872. This lighthouse was built six bricks thick to endure brutal elements along the Lake Erie shoreline.

Charles Waldo, the first lighthouse keeper stationed here, called it “the loneliest place on earth.”

He had to walk to Misery Bay, then take a rowboat across the bay to the town of Erie for provisions, row back, then carry everything back to the lighthouse. No wonder he wasn’t pleased with his job conditions, but that’s how it was in the 19th century. See a guided tour here https://youtu.be/YwSkfsjMrh4

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Erie Land Lighthouse

Erie Land Lighthouse – 1867 (original 1818 lighthouse was the first to be commissioned on the great lakes).

When I was a very young child we lived on Lighthouse Street where this beautiful lighthouse is located. I guess I thought at the time that all streets had lighthouses and was disappointed when we moved and there was none there on our new street.

Read more about this fabulous historic navigational landmark here https://www.presqueislelighthouse.org/learn/erie-land-lighthouse