Inner pierhead light and lifesaving station Photograph courtesy Library of Congress

Levi Johnson built the first Cleveland Lighthouse on a bluff at the north end of Water (9th) Street for the cost of eight thousand dollars. Johnson’s light served for several decades, until a tall, elegant lighthouse was built on the same site around 1870. Sadly, the Victorian Gothic lighthouse was damaged by a nearby fire and was subsequently dismantled around 1900. The Southeast Lighthouse on Block Island, RI was built using very similar plans, however the tower at Cleveland was somewhat taller. Interestingly, a twin to the Cleveland Main Lighthouse is the Gdansk Lighthouse in Poland. It is theorized that a delegation from Gdansk visited the Cleveland Lighthouse while attending the 1893 World Exposition in Chicago.

As maritime traffic increased at Cleveland, improvements were made along the city’s waterfront. Piers were constructed on each side of the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, and lights were placed at their outermost ends to mark the river entrance. The black and white photograph at right shows the light and lifesaving station on the west pier, while this historic photograph shows the light on the east pier.

Breakwaters were later added along Cleveland’s waterfront to provide a large protected harbor for shipping. A gap between two breakwaters permitted vessels to easily access the Cuyahoga River. Each end of the breakwaters that defined the new entrance to the harbor was marked by a light. These lights can be seen in the background of the image at right (click on the image for a better view). The west breakwater light can also be seen in the background of this photograph. This early west breakwater light was originally used at the entrance to the Genesee River at Rochester from 1881 to 1884 before being relocated to Cleveland. This structure was a short, octagonal tower made of iron, but was later elevated so it could be seen from a greater distance.

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In 1885, Captain Fred T. Hatch, one of Cleveland’s most illustrious keepers, arrived to serve at the lighthouse at the eastern end of the west breakwater. Hatch had previously served at the nearby lifesaving station and was a recipient of the U.S. Medal of Honor for lifesaving. His lifesaving skills would soon serve him well at his new job. In October of 1890, during one of the windstorms that frequently threatened travelers on Lake Erie, the schooner barge Wahnapitae dragged its anchor and crashed against the breakwater near Hatch’s lighthouse.

Eight people were on board, including a Captain Hazen and his wife Catherine, who was serving as cook. As the barge began to break apart, most of the crew tried to jump onto the breakwater. Three men, aided by Captain Hatch, were able to scramble one hundred feet along the breakwater and reach the safe confines of the lighthouse. Captain Hatch then leaped into a small wooden rowboat to attempt the rescue of those still stranded on the sinking barge. However, by the time he reached the battered vessel, only Catherine Hazen remained unclaimed by the water.

Just as he approached the barge, waves swept around Mrs. Hazen. Hatch quickly leaned out, grabbed her, and dragged her into his boat before she could sink out of sight. As he started back to the lighthouse, a huge wave swamped the boat, tossing its occupants into the lake. Wisely, Hatch had secured one end of a line to the cribwork near the lighthouse before setting off in his boat. With one arm around Mrs. Hazen, Hatch pulled himself along the line back to the breakwater.

Three other crewmen were rescued by tugs, but Orla W. Smith drowned before he could be reached. As commendation for his selfless act of bravery, Captain Hatch received a rare honor — a gold bar to go with his Gold Lifesaving Medal.

Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse Photograph courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

A pair of spurs was extended into the lake from the breakwaters, effectively extending the entrance to the harbor and river farther out into Lake Erie. In 1911, the Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse, the large structure that remains standing today, was built at the eastern end of the extended western breakwater. The conical, cast-iron tower incorporated the keeper’s quarters and was fitted with a fourth-order Fresnel lens. In 1916, a one-and-a-half-story fog signal building was added. The fog signal was affectionately known as the “cow” because of the deep mooing sound it made. In spite of its whimsical name, the whistle was a valuable asset to sailors, as its signal penetrated twelve miles — two miles farther than the beacon on the west pierhead.

The lighthouse was automated in 1965, and thirty years later, the Fresnel lens was removed and donated to the Great Lakes Science Center, where it is on display. Most of its companion lights have disappeared over the years, but the 1911 West Pierhead Lighthouse still welcomes vessels large and small to Cleveland with its modern beacon that flashes an alternating red and white light every five seconds.

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References

1. “The Lights of Cleveland,” The Cleveland Leader, Sunday, November 25, 1900.
2. “Three Nights of Heroism,” by Dennis L. Noble, Our Sister Service: The U.S. Life Saving Service, Fall, 1997.

The fourth-order Fresnel lens formerly used in the Cleveland West Pierhead Lighthouse is on display at the Great Lakes Science Center.