Fairport Harbor Marine Museum and Lighthouse
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The Fairport Harbor
Marine Museum and Lighthouse
"The light that shone for 100 years"
1825 - 1925
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Speakers Bureau
Museum Highlights
Tours and Groups
Season Events Calendar
Photography Policy
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tower
1871


The Fairport Harbor Marine Museum is the first
Great Lakes Lighthouse Marine Museum in the
State of Ohio , as well as the United States.
The museum, which also has a small gift shop, is located
at 129 Second St., Fairport Harbor, OH 44077.
For more information as to when the museum is open
call (440) 354-4825.
         
Pre-registrtaion is required for all 2021 events.
Click here for the 2021 Events Calendar
and more information.

2021 Opening Day is Saturday, May 29th
The Lighthouse and Marine Museum will be open on
Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and all Legal Holidays from
Memorial Day Weekend thru mid-September.
Public Hours are 1:00pm - 4:00pm.
Preservation fee charged and includes admission to
museum, grounds and Lighthouse Tower.
  
Private Tours during non-public hours may be arranged by
appointment. Tours are available May 1-November 1. 
Minimum two weeks notice is requested. Forms available online or
leave a message.
Covid protocols remain in effect for 2021
To ensure the safety of our volunteers and visitors please remember-
  • Masks  are required when inside the museum.
  • Continue Social distancing practices inside and outside
  • Lake County Health Department Guidelines will be followed
 
2021 Visitors Photo Gallery

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The museum was founded in 1945 by the Fairport Harbor Historical Society, which is devoted to preserving and perpetuating the historic tradition of Fairport Harbor and the Great Lakes area. The original lighthouse was completed in 1825. The tower stood thirty feet high, capped with an octagonal-shaped iron lantern. The lighthouse was accompanied by a two-story keeper's house.Due to deterioration the tower and keeper's house had to be replaced. Rebuilt in 1871, the tower now stands sixty feet high and has a spiral staircase of 69 steps which leads to an observation platform.In 1925 the light in the tower (a third-order Fresnel lens) was discontinued. It was replaced by a combination light and foghorn station which was built on the west breakwater pier head.

The museum houses a number of artifacts pertaining to life on the Great Lakes and other maritime exhibits. Attached to the museum is the former pilothouse from the Great Lakes carrier the "Frontenac". More info.......
 

A gallery of all the Virtual Content the
National Museum of the Great Lakes.

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Timeline of
Fairport Harbor
History
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The Fairport Harbor Lighthouse
is part of the
Lake Erie
Coastal Ohio Trail.

Ghosts of the Griffith:
Disaster on Lake Erie



The worst shipping disaster in Lake Erie’s history, a tragedy of heartbreaking human cost. The summer of 1850 was the scene of the fire on the steamer
G.P. Griffith, along the coast of Lake County, Ohio.
Click here for a video by
Ginnie Jeschelnig of the Lake County History Center
  

Current Map of Ships in the Harbor and Vicinity (zoom out to view the entire lake)
 
 

Reference to other lighthouse web addresses: