Located 8 miles from the mouth of the Maumee River, it’s designed in the Romanesque style with a rolled edge steel roof.
In 1847, the federal government funded a lighthouse in Vermilion Ohio. In 1859, the light was rebuilt, and the new tower was wood with a whale oil lamp.
Cleveland is an important port on Lake Erie. As the port became busier, it was evident that a lighthouse was necessary.
This picturesque lighthouse was controversial because some of the funds for completing it were supposed to be used to demolish the other lighthouse. A public outcry saved the Fairport Harbor Lighthouse.