For such a picturesque and unassuming structure, the Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse's inception was a source of deep consternation for the inhabitants of Fairport. Because Fairport Harbor Lighthouse was falling into disrepair, in 1917 Congress appropriated $42,000 for the construction of a new breakwater light; however, some of the funds were to be used to demolish the existing lighthouse. The citizens of Fairport rallied in defense of their beloved landmark, and the Secretary of Commerce agreed to let the lighthouse remain standing even as plans were made for the new breakwater light.

Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse

Because of the outbreak of World War I, however, construction on the new light was delayed for several years. Finally, the iron shell for the breakwater light was constructed in Buffalo, New York, secured by steel cables aboard the steamer Wotan, and transported the 147 miles to Fairport Harbor. The prefabricated portion of the lighthouse consisted of "steel studding, floor beams, rafters, side and roof plating, and cast-iron cornices, sills and lintels" that were riveted and bolted permanently together. The interior mason and finish work was completed on site, along with the installation of the lantern room and lens. On June 9, 1925, the Fairport Harbor Breakwater Lighthouse was illuminated for the first time.

The original fourth-order Fresnel lens flashed a white light, three seconds on and three seconds off. Lighthouse keepers housed in the attached quarters had other duties in addition to maintaining the breakwater light.

The present breakwater lighthouse is not the first light to mark the breakwater, as a skeletal tower stood on the breakwater before 1925. Before the breakwater was constructed, piers had been extended from each side of the river's mouth. Congress appropriated $1,000 in 1825 for the first pier. In 1831, a similar sum was allocated for a beacon light on the pier. This amount was not sufficient as $1,456 had to be granted in 1834 to complete the beacon.

In an 1838 report to the Secretary of the Treasury, Lieutenant C.T. Platt noted how mariners could use the pierhead beacon. "The beacon, on the east pier forming the harbor, is lighted with four lamps, and is in perfect order. This pier extends six hundred feet into the lake; the west pier nine hundred feet. By bringing the light-house and beacon in range, in coming from the west, there is no difficulty in entering the harbor.”

Over the years, the piers were incrementally extended farther into the lake, and the existing beacons were either relocated to the outer end of the pier or replaced by new beacons. This historic postcard shows a pair of lights marking the east and west pier. The piers still exist today, protected within the confines of the breakwaters, and are marked by modern beacons.

Fairport Harbor Breakwater Lighthouse is now automated and its Fresnel lens replaced with a 300 mm optic. Still an active aid to navigation, it is owned and managed by the Coast Guard, and is currently closed to the public. However, visitors wishing to get a better look at the light can walk along the breakwater.

In 2005, the Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse, deemed excess by the Coast Guard, was offered at no cost to eligible entities, including federal, state, and local agencies, non-profit corporations, and educational organizations under the provisions of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000. The application period was extended, but no qualified taker was found, so the lighthouse was auctioned off by the General Services Administration. The auction began on September 28, 2009 and closed a month later on October 29, after ten bids were received by six different parties, with the winning bid of $77,000 being submitted by "samsloan." The winner was identified shortly thereafter as 87-year-old Mentor construction magnate Jerome Osborne, who apparently has a reputation for purchasing and restoring historic properties in the area.

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References

1. “The Lights and Lost Lights of Fairport Harbor,” Timothy Harrison, Lighthouse Digest.
2. “Mentor: Lighthouse saved by millionaire,” Michael O'Mara, wkyc.com website.