1901 — Strawberry Island Cut and channels leading thereto, Niagara River, New York.—Vessels bound down the Niagara River to points below the International Bridge must make their way through the narrow natural channel between the main shore and the shoals about the head of Strawberry Island and the artificial cut made by the Government through Strawberry Island Shoal. These channels are marked by buoys which can not be put down until some time, usually several weeks, after navigation opens in the spring, as they would be carried away by floating ice. Moreover, they are liable at any time to be shifted by vessels hitting and moving them in the swift currents, and they do not supply the need that sometimes exists for running the channels in the nighttime. Four range lights are necessary as additional aids for running these channels, two in the vicinity of Germania Park to mark the channel leading from the International Bridge to the Strawberry Island Cut and two on the lowland lying between the Erie Canal and the river to the north of and marking the axis of the cut. It is estimated that these four lights can be established for the sum of $13,000, which includes the cost of the land required for sites for the structures. The Board therefore recommends that an appropriation of this amount be made therefor. 1902 — Strawberry Island Cut and channels leading thereto, Niagara River, New York.—The following recommendation, made in the Board's last annual report, is renewed:
Vessels bound down the Niagara River to points below the International Bridge must make their way through the narrow natural channel between the main shore and the shoals about the head of Strawberry Island and the artificial cut made by the Government through Strawberry Island Shoal. These channels are marked by buoys which can not be put down until some time, usually several weeks, after navigation opens in the spring, as they would be carried away by floating ice. Moreover, they are liable at any time to be shifted by vessels hitting and moving them in the swift currents, and they do not supply the need that sometimes exists for running the channels in the nighttime. Four range lights are necessary as additional aids for running these channels, two in the vicinity of Grermania Park to mark the channel leading from the International Bridge to the Strawberry Island Cut and two on the lowland lying between the Erie Canal and the river to the north of and marking the axis of the cut. It is estimated that these four lights can be established for the sum of $13,000, which includes the cost of the land required for sites for the structures. The Board therefore recommends that an appropriation of this amount be made therefor.

1903 — Strawberry Island Cut and channel leading thereto, Niagara, New York.—The following recommendation, made in the Board's last two annual reports, is renewed:
Vessels bound down the Niagara River to points below the International Bridge must make their way through the narrow natural channel between the main shore and the shoals about the head of Strawberry Island and the artificial cut made by the Government through Strawberry Island Shoal. These channels are marked by buoys which can not be put down until some time, usually several weeks, after navigation opens in the spring, as they would be carried away by floating ice. Moreover, they are liable at any time to be shifted by vessels hitting and moving them in the swift currents, and they do not supply the need that sometimes exists for running the channels in the nighttime. Four range lights are necessary as additional aids for running these channels, two in the vicinity of Germania Park to mark the channel leading from the International Bridge to the Strawberry Island Cut and two on the lowland lying between the Erie Canal and the river to the north of and marking the axis of the cut , It is estimated that these four lights can be established for the sum of $13,000, which includes the cost of the land required for sites for the structures. The Board therefore recommends that an appropriation of this amount be made therefor.

1904 — Strawberry Island Cut and Channel leading thereto, Niagara Hirer, New York.—The following recommendation, made in the Board's last three annual reports, is renewed:
Vessels bound down the Niagara River to points below the International Bridge must make their way through the narrow natural channel between the main shore and the shoals about the head of Strawberry Island and the artificial cut made by the Government through Strawberry Island Shoal. These channels are marked by buoys which can not be put down until some time, usually several weeks, after navigation opens in the spring, as they would lie carried away by floating ice. Moreover, they are liable at any time to lie shifted by vessels hitting and moving them in the swift currents, and they do not supply the need that sometimes exists for running the channels in the nighttime. Four range lights are necessary as additional aids for running these channels, two in the vicinity of Germania Park to mark the channel leading from the international Bridge to the Strawberry Island Cut and two on the lowland lying between the Erie Canal and the river to the north of and marking the axis of the cut. It is estimated that these four lights can be established for the sum of $13,000, which includes the cost of the land required for sites for the structures. The Board therefore recommends that an appropriation of this amount be made therefor.

1905 — Strawberry Island Cut and channel leading thereto, Niagara River, New York.—The conditions attending the navigation of the Strawberry Island Cut and channels leading thereto are now practically the same as they were four years ago. The channels are narrow, with a considerable current, and the course for vessels through them is not straight, although the channels are well buoyed, the navigation of them is more than ordinarily hazardous. Practically all of the vessel tonnage going into and out of the harbor of Tonawanda goes through these channels. For 1903 that tonnage was 1,103,207, as given by custom-house records.
The following recommendation, made in the Board's last four annual reports, is renewed:
Vessels bound down the Niagara River to points below the International Bridge must make their way through the narrow natural channel between the main shore and the shoals about the head of Strawberry Island and the artificial cut made by the Government through Strawberry Island Shoal. These channels are marked by buoys which can not be put down until some time, usually several weeks, after navigation opens in the spring, as they would be carried away by floating ice. Moreover, they are liable at any time to be shifted by vessels hitting and moving them in the swift currents, and they do not supply the need that sometimes exists for running the channels in the nighttime. Four range lights are necessary as additional aids for running these channels, two in the vicinity of Germania Park to mark the channel leading from the International Bridge to the Strawberry Island Cut and two on the lowland lying between the Erie Canal and the river to the north of and marking the axis of the cut. It is estimated that these four lights can he established for the sum of $13,000, which includes the cost of the land required for sites for the structures. The Board therefore recommends that an appropriation of this amount be made therefor.

1906 — Strawberry Island Cut and channel leading thereto, Niagara River, New York.—The act approved on June 30, 1906, appropriated “for four range lights in Strawberry Island Cut, and for channel leading thereto, Niagara River, New York, thirteen thousand dollars.” Plans for these structures are now being made.

1907 – Strawberry Island Lower Cut and Strawberry Island Upper Cut ranges, Niagara River, New York.—The act approved on June 30, 1906, appropriated $13,000 for four range lights in Strawberry Island Cut, and for the channel leading thereto in Niagara River. Surveys were made for locating the range lines, and beacon and submarine sites in the river were selected for three of the four beacons required; and for the other beacon a site was selected in Riverside Park. Plans for the four beacons were prepared, and, as the only bid received for the construction was in excess of the amount appropriated, they are to be built by hired labor. Most of the materials needed were purchased. Work was begun at the Buffalo light-house depot in getting out the beacon frames and finish, and in making concrete blocks and the crib for the foundation of one of the front beacons. Agreement was made for building the pile foundations of the two beacons of the channel range. The site for the front beacon of the cut range was dredged out and leveled up with stone. The foundation crib was placed, and partly filled with stone ballast. The site for the rear beacon was excavated, the concrete foundation laid, and the beacon sills were anchored.

1908 – Strawberry Island lower cut range, New York.—Strawberry Island upper cut range, New York.—Amount appropriated, act June 30, 1906, $13,000. Two structures were completed and lights established thereon April 24, 1908, to guide through Strawberry Island Reef dredged channel. Two structures were also completed and lights established thereon April 21, 1908, to guide through Niagara River east channel above Strawberry Island. The total cost of constructing the four lights was $9,140.57.

1908 – Strawberry Island Upper Cut Range Lights have been established to guide vessels through Niagara River East Channel above Strawberry Island, as follows:
Front light.—A 6th order ?xed red light shown 30 feet above the water from a white, octagonal, pyramidal, wooden tower erected on a square concrete pier, connected with the shore by a stone cause-way, in about 5 feet of water, 1 ¼ miles 134° from Strawberry Island Lower Cut Front Light.
Rear light.—A 6th order ?xed red light shown 58 feet above the water from a white, octagonal, wooden tower, pyramidal above the ?rst story, erected in Riverside Park, Buffalo, 790 feet 0° 39’ from the front light.
Each light of this range illuminates an arc of 135° from 338° to 113°, or about 22 ½° to the eastward and 112 ½° to the westward of the range line.

1908 – Strawberry Island Lower Cut Range Lights have been established on the eastern side of the Niagara River to guide vessels through the dredged channel through Strawberry Reef, as follows:
Front light.—A 6th order ?xed red light shown 30 feet above the water from a white, octagonal pyramidal, wooden tower with white, octagonal lantern, erected on a platform on piles in about 10 feet of water. 1,172 feet 312° from the ferry landing eastward of the head of Frog Island.
Rear light.—A 6th order ?xed red light shown 50 feet above the water from a white, octagonal tower, pyramidal above the ?rst story, erected on a platform on piles in about 2 feet of water, 1,600 feet 318° from the front light.
Each light of this range illuminates an arc of 135° from 295° 30' to 70° 30’, or about 22 ½° to the eastward and 112 ½° to the westward of the range line.
When going up the river these lights are in range astern, but the range line should be followed only from a point about ¾ mile south-eastward of the front light to its intersection with the Strawberry Island Upper Cut Range Line.

1912 - Strawberry Island Range Lights, Niagara River, Intensity Increased. On April 24-29, the characteristics were changed, and the intensities of the lights increased in both the upper and lower cut ranges at Strawberry Island, Niagara River, as follows:
Strawberry Island Lower Cut Range light, from fixed red to flashing white light of about 350 candle power, showing light 0.3 of a second, eclipsed 0.7 of a second. Rear light from a fixed red to an occulting white light of about 350 candle power, showing light one second, eclipsed one second.
Strawberry Island Upper Cut Range light from fixed red to flashing white light of about 350 candle power, showing light 0.3 of a second, eclipsed 0.7 of a second. Rear light from a fixed red to an occulting white light of about 350 candle power, showing red one second, eclipsed one second. The illuminant in these range lights is acetylene.
Keepers were no longer needed after the range lights were changed to acetylene.

1915 – Strawberry Island Lower Cut Range Lights, Tonawanda Channel, Niagara River. Strawberry Island Lower Cut Range Lights were moved, characteristic changed, and intensity increased on October 25, 1916. The lights are now fixed red, exhibited from skeleton steel towers. Front light is 30 feet above the water, located on towpath of Erie Canal; rear light 72 feet above the water, located on Fuller Street, Buffalo, about 250 yards 139 1/2° from front light.

1917 - Reestablished Lower Cut Range Lights on new sites, using new skeleton towers; electricity for illuminant in reflector lanterns. $3,393.

1917 - Strawberry Island Beacon, Niagara River. A beacon was established about May 30, 1917, on the white, octagonal, pyramidal wooden structure, 29 feet high, formerly the Strawberry Island Lower Cut Range Front Light tower.

1919 – Strawberry Island Upper Cut Range Lights, Niagara River. Characteristics of Strawberry Island Upper Cut Range Lights were changed on September 9, 1919, to fixed red of 420 candlepower, and electricity installed as the illuminant.

1921 - Strawberry Island Lower Cut Range Towers, Niagara River. Daymarks were installed on these towers to increase their efficiency as aids to navigation in the day time.

Keepers:

• Lower Cut: Hector V. de Grasse (1908 – 1909), Edward C. Wendell (1909 – 1912).
• Upper Cut: John A. Smith (1908 – 1912).

Lights on metal towers mark this range today.

Find the closest hotels to Strawberry Island Lower Cut Range Lighthouse