Presque Isle Lighthouse

History

By 1871 the drifting sands of the Presque Isle peninsula had begun to block mariners' view of the older Erie Land Light, and the federal government took over the peninsula for national defence and harbour protection.^[2] Congress appropriated $15,000 in June 1872 for a new light on the peninsula's north shore.^[2]

Getting materials there was the hard part. The site had no road to the mainland, and the peninsula was sometimes cut off as an island. Plans for cut stone were dropped as too expensive, and the tower was built of brick, five bricks thick.^[3] A scow carrying 6,000 of those bricks broke loose in a storm and dumped its load in the lake, and the operator's history notes that bricks thought to come from it still turn up on beaches to the east.^[3] Work began in September 1872, and the light was first shown on July 12, 1873. The first keeper, Charles Waldo, noted in his log that there had been one visitor.^[2]

The square tower was first only about 40 feet tall. In 1896 it was raised by a little over 17 feet so the light would carry farther over the lake, and the brick was later painted white so the tower would also work as a daymark.^[3] The light was automated in 1962, and in 2013 the old beacon gave way to an LED marine light.^[2] The September 2026 Light List gives an isophase white light, three seconds on and three off, at a focal height of 73 feet.^[1]

The lighthouse passed to the state in 1998 and for years housed the park manager.^[4] In 2014 the state leased it to a preservation group, and on July 25 of that year it became a public building for visitors.^[4,3] Restoration has since returned the keeper's house to its early-twentieth-century look. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983.^[5]

How to see it

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

Best public viewpoint

The beach below the lighthouse on the north shore of Presque Isle State Park, near the end of PA 832.^[6]

Tower climbs

Lake Erie Lights of Pennsylvania has offered guided tours and tower climbs seasonally.

Operator

Lake Erie Lights of Pennsylvania (long-term lease)

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 climb the Presque Isle Lighthouse?

Yes, in season. Lake Erie Lights of Pennsylvania runs guided tours and tower climbs on a seasonal schedule. The grounds are open only when the lighthouse is open.

Is the Presque Isle light still active?

Yes. The September 2026 USCG Light List shows Iso W 6s at a focal height of 73 feet.

How do you get to the Presque Isle Lighthouse?

It stands on the north-shore beach of Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania, near the end of PA 832, the road that runs onto the peninsula.