Presque Isle Light
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| Location | Presque Isle State Park, Erie, Pennsylvania, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°09′57″N 80°06′55″W / 42.1658°N 80.1154°W |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1872 |
| Construction | brick  |
| Automated | 1962 |
| Height | 68 ft (21 m) |
| Shape | Square |
| Markings | White |
| Heritage | National Register of Historic Places listed place |
| Light | |
| First lit | 1873 |
| Focal height | 73 ft (22 m) |
| Lens | 4th order Fresnel |
| Range | 16 nmi (18 mi; 30 km) |
| Characteristic | Iso W 6s |
| Designated | August 4, 1983 |
| Part of | United States Coast Guard Lighthouses and Light Stations on the Great Lakes Thematic Resource |
| Reference no. | 83002242[1] |
The Presque Isle Light is one of three lighthouses on Lake Erie in U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The lighthouse is located on the northern shore of Presque Isle State Park, near Erie. It was built in 1872 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
History
Its construction began in 1872, and the light was first lit on July 12, 1873. It was originally 40 feet (12 m) tall before the tower was raised to its current height in 1896. Its original light characteristic, two red flashes followed by four white flashes, was changed to an alternating red and white flash when it was electrified in the 1920s. The Presque Isle Light was commonly known as the "flashlight" to locals.[2] In 1962, the station was fully automated and the characteristic was changed to a 3 second-on, 3 second-off white light.
The Presque Isle Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 4, 1983 as part of a group listing of lighthouses and light stations operated by the United States Coast Guard on the Great Lakes. The light station is open to public tours from Memorial Day through Labor Day on weekend, weather permitting (see presqueislelighthouse.org).[1][3][4]
See also
- List of lighthouses in the United States
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, Pennsylvania
References
- ^ a b "NPS Focus". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
- ^ "Presque Isle Lighthouse". Sea the Lights. Retrieved January 18, 2007.
- ^ Board of Directors Presque Isle Light Station
- ^ Hyde 1979, § 7, p. 2.
Sources
- Hyde, Charles K (October 15, 1979). "United States Coast Lighthouses and Light Stations on the Great Lakes" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form. National Park Service. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
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Further reading
- Oleszewski, Wes (1998). Great Lakes Lighthouses, American and Canadian: A Comprehensive Directory / Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses. Gwinn, MI: Avery Color Studios. ISBN 0-932212-98-0.
- United States Coast Guard (1957). Historically Famous Lighthouses. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
- Wright, Larry; Patricia Wright (2006). Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia. Erin, ON: Boston Mills Press. ISBN 1-55046-399-3.
External links
- Presque Isle Lighthouse, Peninsula Drive, Presque Isle State Park, Erie, Erie County, PA: 6 measured drawings, at Historic American Buildings Survey
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- Lighthouses completed in 1873
- Towers completed in 1873
- Historic American Buildings Survey in Pennsylvania
- Buildings and structures in Erie County, Pennsylvania
- Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania
- Visitor attractions in Erie County, Pennsylvania
- National Register of Historic Places in Erie County, Pennsylvania