Lorain Lighthouse

History

Lorain's harbour at the mouth of the Black River has had a light since 1836, and the building at the end of the west breakwater is the fourth to serve it.^[2] When the breakwater was built in 1909 a temporary wooden light marked its end, followed by a skeleton tower in 1912.^[3] Congress funded a permanent station in 1913, construction began in 1916, a temporary light was shown in 1917, and the fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed in 1918.^[2] The Ohio historical marker at Lakeside Landing gives 1919 for the lens and for the completion of the station, with the light in service from 1917.^[4]

The Army Corps of Engineers built it to last. It is a two-and-a-half-storey house of steel-reinforced concrete with a square 51-foot tower at one corner, and Ohio Sea Grant notes that its walls are more than ten inches thick and that even the baseboards and window frames are steel.^[2,3,5]

In 1965 an automated light on a nearby breakwater took over, and the old station was scheduled for demolition. A storm delayed the work for a season, and in that time Lorain residents organised to save the building.^[2] The Lorain County Historical Society acquired the building in 1977, and the National Register of Historic Places listed it the following year.^[4,6] The Coast Guard had stored the Fresnel lens and in 1984 lent it to the Charlotte-Genesee lighthouse in Rochester, New York; after a long dispute it came home in 2014 and is displayed by the Lorain Port Authority.^[2,3]

The Lorain Lighthouse Foundation has managed the building since 1990, restoring it in stages and running seasonal tours and events.^[2,7] The tower again carries a minor light: the September 2026 Light List shows a red flash every four seconds at a focal height of 58 feet.^[1]

How to see it

Tower climbs The operator has offered public tower climbs, usually seasonally.

Best public viewpoint

From Lorain's lakefront just east of the Black River bridge, or the public boat ramps at the foot of Oberlin Street downtown.^[7]

Tower climbs

The Lorain Lighthouse Foundation has offered guided seasonal tours, reached by boat.

Operator

Lorain Lighthouse Foundation

Last verified

Last verified 2026-10

Access details last verified 2026-10. Hours, tours and ownership change. Check the operator before you go. Pier and breakwater lights can be dangerous in wind and waves; obey posted closures and never enter private or Coast Guard property.

Questions people ask

Can you go inside the Lorain Lighthouse?

Yes, on guided tours. The Lorain Lighthouse Foundation has offered seasonal guided tours, reached by boat. Check the foundation before you go.

Where is the best place to see the Lorain Lighthouse from land?

Ohio Sea Grant suggests Lorain's lakefront just east of the Black River bridge. The Lighthouse Directory also mentions the public boat ramps at the foot of Oberlin Street.

Why is it called the Jewel of the Port?

It is the nickname the local preservation group uses for the 1917 lighthouse, which it saved from demolition and restored.