Ashtabula Harbor Light

Ashtabula Harbor Light or also known as Ashtabula Light is a lighthouse erected in 1905 on Lake Erie in Ashtabula, Ohio. The building was registered on 8 August 1983 in the National Register of Historic Places.

Building

In the present structure is a rectangular building with a central cylindrical tower, whose height is 12.2 m. The lighthouse has a range of nearly 15 km. This optic is 15.5 m above the water level.

History

The first beacon that marked the location of the port of Ashtabula, was built in 1836. It was a short wooden hexagonal tower, which stand.Dieses on a wooden frame in front of the eastern investors building was equipped with oil lamps and was in operation, was in operation, wurde.Der built up on the western investors a systems Pyramid Tower at that time new building was needed because the port was redesigned. The new lighthouse was equipped with a four-stage Fresnel lens, which radiated a red light. The lighthouse keeper lived in a house in the city. The tower was added in 1882, but remained in operation.

As 1905, the mouth of the Ashtabula River and extended breakwaters were built, this made the construction of a third building in Ashtabula required. The lighthouse was originally located about 530 m south-southeast of the present location, but was moved in 1915 and enlarged on a concrete skeleton at the end of the northern breakwater constructed. The new building was constructed of steel and iron plates and allowed living quarters for the operating personnel. At the same time a new lens was installed in the tower. The old beacon was left in place, about twenty yards from the shore.

The new and outstanding position of the lighthouse makes him prone to incidents. 1927 a steamer collided with the building and moved the tower 15 cm on its foundation. The following year, an ice storm has completely frozen the system, making the lighthouse keepers were trapped inside. Only after two days, they were able to thaw as far as the door, that the people were able to open it - and then to scratch their escape even a tunnel through a little more than 150 cm thick ice.

The lighthouse was automated in 1973 and the lighthouse was thus the last manned facility on one of the Great Lakes. The building for the guards at that time the city was given, but in 1976 returned it into the hands of federal authorities because they did not have the financial resources to pay for the conversion into a museum. In 1982 the building was again privatized and opened in 1984 as Ashtabula Marine Museum. The lighthouse itself remained in operation, although the breakwaters have been extended. The optics have been replaced by a modern lamp with a yellow flashing light and in 1995 handed over to the museum.

2003, a company was formed to take the building using the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act in possession, and, as the acquisition in the year it was offered, the Company applied. 2007 became one in control of the building and began restoration, to allow the public to visit the lighthouse. In May 2008, funding has been allocated to enable the construction of a new floating jetty, as the only access is to the lighthouse across the water.