January 11, 2004 Meeting Presentation

Historic Fairport Harbor

John Orllila, a trustee of the Fairport Harbor Historical Society gave a well-paced presentation on the history of the Fairport Harbor lighthouses and touched on other historical aspects of the Fairport Harbor area.

Fairport Harbor's maritime history goes back to 1669when French explorer, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, searched the Grand River and the coast of Lake Erie for a connector to the Ohio River.

Village development began after the American Revolution as settlers moved into the Western Reserve. The village at the time was named Grandon after the river.

Native Americans of the Erie tribe had a settlement near the mouth of the Grand River and it was the site of an annual autumn council for tribes in the region.

The first lighthouse was built in 1825. Not only did it provide a beacon to those on the water, it also provided a beacon to runaway slaves. It was a final stop on the Underground Railroad for slaves seeking freedom in Canada.

In 1871 a new tower (pictured above) was constructed with a much deeper and stronger foundation. The new tower constructed of Berea sandstone positioned a kerosene fueled light 102 feet above the surface of the lake, providing 17.5 miles visibility.

In 1925, the tower was decommissioned when a new
breakwall was constructed. The new lighthouse, positioned out in the water at the end of the breakwall, was built in Buffalo and transported via the lake on the deck of a steamship. Today it is officially listed on navigation charts as the Grand River light.

In 1945, the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum and Lighthouse was founded by the Fairport Harbor Historical Society to preserve and perpetuate the historic tradition of Fairport Harbor and the Great Lakes area. In recent times, the group has renovated the lightkeeper's house and rebuilt the face of the bluff supporting the old lighthouse to prevent erosion.

The museum is a regional jewel preserving the maritime heritage of Lake Erie and the Great Lakes.

Fairport Harbor Marine Museum and Lighthouse.

 

Reminders

DEC 14, 2008

Monthly Meeting

Cuyahoga County Library
Meeting Room
Berea, OH
1:30 PM

Guest Speaker:
Carrie Snowden
Marine Archaeological Survey Team





 

 



 

Plans & Notes