Ohio Lighthouses - Vermilion

The Vermilion Lighthouse. 10/8/2025 dwm

 The lighthouse standing in Vermilion, Ohio on the shore of Lake Erie is a replica of the fourth lighthouse placed where the Vermilion River empties into Lake Erie.

 The first lighthouse replaced wood stakes topped with oil-burning beacons at the entry to the city's harbor.

 An 1847 lighthouse needed repair five years later; it was seven more years before that lighthouse was rebuilt.

 The new light wasn't sturdy enough to withstand the wind and waves, and they eventually took their toll.

Congress approved funding in 1866, and in 1871 a home for the light keeper was acquired, but it was 1877 before the 34-foot tall steel lighthouse was on-line.

The lantern room. 10/8/25 dwm

That light served ships and city until 1929 when it was found to be leaning toward the Vermilion River. It
was quickly taken down and replaced with a three-sided pyramid tower that was called a "functional disgrace."

The 1877 light was dismantled and was thought to be gone forever. However, it found new life in 1935 when it was placed on Lake Ontario at the entrance to the St. Lawrence Seaway. It was several years before locals learned the light's actual fate.

One of the men who reported the leaning light led the charge to put a new lighthouse in place. Efforts began in 1991 and the new Vermilion Lighthouse was dedicated June 6, 1992. 

The light stands at the end of Main St.

 The 16-foot replica serves as a draw for tourists and fans of lighthouses and compliments the Inland Seas Maritime Museum owned by the Great Lakes Historical Society. 

 It's a working replica with the same steady red-beam as the light it honors. 

 The location is nice, planted on a point into the lake. The nearby river winds through a picturesque harbor community with beautiful homes and docks where anglers and pleasure-boaters have easy access to the harbor and larger lake.

 After walking along the shore and around the light, we spent two hours in the historic harbor district of Vermilion. You can check out that blog by clicking this link.

 The lighthouse itself is just a few blocks north of the business district, which makes Vermilion unique in having multiple attractions close to the light. I wish I knew about the Historical Society's museum in advance, but given the timing of our trip, I believe it was probably closed.

 A couple of historical nuggets... Vermilion is known as a 'city of sea captains,' and during prohibition Vermilion was a popular drop-off spot for illegal liquor. 

 As an all-around experience, I give Vermilion high marks as a place to stop, see, eat, and shop.

The Vermilion river is beyond the beach. 10/8/2025 dwm photo

Lake Erie and the Vermilion Lighthouse. 10/8/2025 all photos by dwm