The 16 Oldest Lighthouses in Ohio

Ranked by the construction year of the structure standing today, for every lighthouse in Ohio that we could confirm is still standing. Marblehead Light leads, built 1821; number 16 is Vermilion Light, built 1991. Dates or measurements marked uncertain in the source are left out rather than guessed Each entry was checked against current sources (park services, historic registers, preservation societies), and anything demolished, replaced or uncertain is left out. Each entry links to its own page with coordinates, sources and image licences.

1. 1. Marblehead Light

   Built 1821 · Ottawa County, Ohio · National Register

2. 2. West Sister Island Light

   Built 1848 · Lucas County, Ohio · National Register

3. 3. Turtle Island Light

   Built 1866 · Ohio

4. 

   4. Fairport Harbor Light

   Built 1871 · Lake County, Ohio · National Register

   Photo: Rona Proudfoot (ronnie44052) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

5. 5. Port Clinton Light

   Built 1896 · Ottawa County, Ohio

6. 6. South Bass Island Light

   Built 1897 · Ottawa County, Ohio · National Register

7. 

   7. Toledo Harbor Light

   Built 1904 · Lucas County, Ohio · National Register

   Photo: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

8. 

   8. Ashtabula Harbor Light

   Built 1905 · Ashtabula County, Ohio · National Register

   Photo: US gov / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

9. 

   9. Cleveland East Pierhead Light

   Built 1911 · Cuyahoga County, Ohio · National Register

   Photo: Wdzinc / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

10. 

    10. Cleveland West Pierhead Light

    Built 1911 · Cuyahoga County, Ohio · National Register

    Photo: User:Kuyacmh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

11. 11. Lorain West Breakwater Light

    Built 1917 · Lorain County, Ohio · National Register

12. 

    12. Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light

    Built 1925 · Lake County, Ohio · National Register

    Photo: Laszlo Ilyes from Cleveland, Ohio, USA / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

13. 13. Conneaut Harbor Light

    Built 1936 · Ashtabula County, Ohio · National Register

14. 

    14. Huron Harbor Light

    Built 1936 · Erie County, Ohio · National Register

    Photo: Jstuby at en.wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

15. 

    15. Lorain East Breakwater Light

    Built 1965 · Lorain County, Ohio

    Photo: Ken Winters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

16. 16. Vermilion Light

    Built 1991 · Erie County, Ohio

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