At the conclusion of the war, Edwards' men wasted no time in occupying South Bass Island and taking advantage of its natural resources. Timber, limestone and cordwood were soon being shipped to the mainland along a route that became known as the South Passage. This route, which ran between the Marblehead Peninsula and the southern ends of South Bass and Kelleys Island, was soon teeming with commercial boats.

South Bass Island Lighthouse with earlier replacement tower Photograph courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

In 1854, the Edwards family sold their islands to Jose de Rivera Saint Jurgo for $44,000. Instead of selling off the island's natural resources, Jurgo decided to plant vineyards. His wines quickly became popular and soon the Bass Islands had earned the nickname “Wine Islands.” Despite their extreme northern location, the islands surprisingly have the longest frost-free period of any area in Ohio due to the stabilizing effect of the lake.

The next four decades saw South Bass Island's popularity increase tremendously. Records show an impressive 15,000 visitors in 1859 alone. The island's heyday truly came in the 1890s, however, with the grand opening of the Hotel Victory in 1892.

With the South Passage now acting as the primary navigational route not just for commercial vessels but for passenger and leisure boats as well, there was growing concern about the safety of the waterway. Rocky reefs lay hidden in the shallow waters, and sailing through the area could prove treacherous in the late fall when sudden storms could wreak havoc on Lake Erie.

The United States Lighthouse Board approved construction of a lighthouse on South Bass Island in 1893, and $8,000 was subsequently appropriated for the project. Two years later the federal government purchased two-acres at Parker’s Point, the extreme southwest tip of the island, from Mary and Alfred Parker for $1,000. The United States Engineering Department and J.P. Bumpus oversaw construction of the lighthouse. Instead of using the day's typical design of a large lighthouse with a small, detached keepers dwelling, they built a large (two and a half story) home with an attached tower. Inspired by the Queen Anne style of the prior century, the home was built of red brick and boasted many modern conveniences. The lighthouse stood 60 feet tall when finished and was crowned with a $1,500 fourth-order Fresnel lens.

South Bass Island Lighthouse was lit for the first time on July 10, 1897, by its first keeper, Harry H. Riley. Under his care the lighthouse would perform its duty daily from early March through late December. Riley's time on the island was cut short, however, when on September 1, 1898, he was taken into custody by Sandusky police because of problems associated with his mental health. Riley passed away the following March at a state hospital. Charles B. Duggan served at the station from 1908-1925, until he fell from a cliff on the western end of the island and died. Ten keepers served at the lighthouse, the last being Paul F. Prochnow, who departed the island in 1962 after fifteen years of service.

Lens used in South Bass Island Lighthouse

By the time Prochnow's days as keeper on South Bass Island were drawing to a close, technology had changed dramatically. When he retired, the living quarters were put up for rent, and the Coast Guard replaced the lighthouse with an automated electronic light mounted atop a steel tower. With the automation, the Frensel lens became a piece of the island's past and was placed in the Lake Erie Island Historical Museum, where it can still be viewed today.

In 1967 the Coast Guard turned the lighthouse over to the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare's Division of Surplus Property. L.S. Putnam, Director of The Ohio State University's Stone Laboratory, located on Gibraltar Island just offshore from Put-in-Bay, recognized the unique opportunity that this presented. South Bass Island was not only close to Stone Laboratory, but it also provided many research advantages. Putnam proposed that OSU's Board of Trustees apply for ownership. The Board agreed with Putnam, and in October 1967, OSU became guardian of the South Bass Island Lighthouse through a 30-year quitclaim deed.

The lighthouse received another technological addition in 1983 when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration determined that it was a good location for a meteorological station. Once completed, the $50,000 structure made it possible for the National Weather Service to receive satellite transmission of weather statistics from the island.

Less than a century after its construction, South Bass Island Lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Seven years later, OSU gained permanent ownership of the property when the original quitclaim deed expired. The Coast Guard, however, still maintains ownership of the skeletal light tower.

South Bass Island Lighthouse is now home to OSU research and academic staff. The lighthouse and grounds have typically not been accessible to the public, but this changed in 2007 when the university started offering tours during the summer. Besides the lighthouse and a modern replacement light tower, an original barn and an oil house remain standing on the property.

Photo Gallery: 1 2 3

References

1. "The South Bass Island Lighthouse," Cruickshank 1999.
2. "South Bass Island Lighthouse," The Ohio State University.

A great way to view the island is by golf cart or bicycle, both of which can be rented at either ferry landing from Island Bike and Cart Rental.

The Fresnel lens formerly used in the lighthouse remains on the island and is on display at the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society Museum in Put-in-Bay. The museum can be reached at (419) 285-2804.