Photographic Tour of Erie Pennsylvania Lighthouses

                                                              Presque Isle Lighthouse

Three Historic Lighthouses

Erie Pennsylvania boasts three historic lighthouses.  On a recent trip my husband and I stopped in Erie and I was able to photograph all three lighthouses.  The photo above shows Presque Isle lighthouse which was built in 1873.  It is open to tours but we arrived just as it was closing so I only got photos of the exterior.

Erie Land Lighthouse

The first lighthouse built on the Great Lakes was in Erie.  Here is some information and photos on the Erie Land lighthouse.

Erie Land Light

North Pier Light

The third lighthouse in Erie is the North Pier Light.  It is located on Presque Isle but can also be seen from the Erie Land light.  Here are photos taken of it from both locations.\

                                          North Pier Light

Stop by Review This at https://www.reviewthisreviews.com/2018/08/reviewing-lighthouses-in-erie.html  to read more information on these lighthouses.

Erie Pennsylvania Lighthouses Poster
by lighthouseenthusiast

Lighthouses of Rhode Island

Rose Island Lighthouse

Rose Island Lighthouse

Source: Mary Beth Granger

History of Rose Island Lighthouse

Rose Island lighthouse is found on an island in Narragansett Bay near Newport Rhode Island. It was originally built in 1870 and helped to guide ships around the rocky area near Newport.

On a recent cruise stop, I was able to take a tour of Rose island and the lighthouse. The tour guide gave us interesting information on the lighthouse and I was able to explore the grounds and climb the tower to the lighthouse. The lighthouse operated from 1870 to 1970 when it was abandoned due to the construction of the nearby Newport Bridge. The Newport Bridge lit up the night and the lighthouse was no longer needed. The lighthouse then remained vacant until 1984 when a foundation was formed to restore the lighthouse.

The guide below is a great way to learn more about Rhode Island lighthouses.  It comes with directions to each lighthouse.

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Living Area of Lighthouse

Interior of Rose Island lighthouse

Source: Mary Beth Granger

Experience Life in a Lighthouse

Today Rose Island lighthouse is beautifully restored in early 1900's furniture and accessories. Our tour guide told us when they were ready to furnish the lighthouse they got advice from a grandson of one of the lighthouse keepers. He was able to give the ideas of where the furniture should be placed and what accessories his grandparents had in their home.

The restoration is very well done and the rugs and quilts give it a very homey feeling.

I enjoyed touring the house and climbing to the top of the tower for a view of the harbor.

Today the lighthouse is also available for guests who stay on the first floor and get to be honorary lighthouse keepers. Would you like to experience life in a lighthouse? For more information go to Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation.

The lighthouse grounds are also home to weddings and other parties. I think it would be a great place to host an event.

Newport Rhode Island Lighthouses

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The five lighthouses that I photographed were in and around the Newport Harbor area.

Touring the Harbor

On our way to and from Rose island lighthouse our guide gave a us a narrative tour of the harbor. We passed by the beautiful mansions on the coastline and found out that they were summer "cottages" for many of the wealthy people who visited the area.

We also saw beautiful yachts and sailboats that were moored in the bay area.

One of the sights that really interested me were the other lighthouses that also were in the harbor. The guide pointed out two other lighthouses Lime Rock and Newport Harbor Light. He also told us of two lighthouse to watch for when our cruise ship left the area that night. I was able to capture all four of these lighthouses in my photographs.

Ida Lewis Yacht Club/Lighthouse

Source: Mary Beth Granger

Lime Rock Lighthouse

During our tour of the harbor our guide pointed out Lime Rock Lighthouse and gave us a bit of information.

The lighthouse was first lit in 1854 and was run by a lighthouse keeper and his wife and small daughter. When the keeper had a stroke in 1858 his wife Ida Lewis took over the running of the lighthouse. In 1879 her daughter, also named Ida, took over the lighthouse keeper duties. She remained the keeper until 1911. In 1924 Lime Rock lighthouse was renamed the Ida Lewis lighthouse.

Today the lighthouse is used as a yacht club.

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Newport Harbor Light on Goat Island

Built in 1842 this lighthouse has a 35 foot tower.

Source: Mary Beth Granger

Castle Hill Light

Short lighthouse at the east passage of the bay.

Source: Mary Beth Granger

Narragansett Bay Lighthouses

As our cruise ship left the bay in the early evening I was able to photograph two more lighthouses.

The first was a short lighthouse on the eastern passage. This lighthouse is adjacent to Castle Hill Inn and Resort which sits high on the hill above the bay. I can imagine the beautiful views the people staying in this resort have of the ships coming into and out of the harbor.

The lighthouse below is the second lighthouse I photographed as our cruise ship left the bay. It is Beavertail lighthouse which is at the southern end of Cononicut Island. It was built in 1856 and has a 45 foot tower.

Beavertail Lighthouse

Source: Mary Beth Granger

A Final View of Rose Island

Round Island Lighthouse

Mackinac Island is one of the most popular places to visit in Michigan. Each day tourists board the ferries that take them from either Mackinac City or St. Ignace to spend some time on this beautiful island. As you approach the island the ferry passes a charming little lighthouse called Round Island Lighthouse.

Here you see a photograph of the lighthouse as we passed by it on the ferry. This lighthouse was built in 1895 and has been kept in shape by a major renovation project in the 1980's. It is only reachable by boat in the summer or snowmobile in the winter months, however I found that with a good telephoto lens it can be viewed and photographed from several spots on the island. My first view of it was on the ferry, but the ferry was moving and I had to be quick to get this photo. After the ferry landed, I walked on the Main street to the left on the island and was able to get this view from the shoreline.

Later in the day we were walking along the shoreline in the other direction and as the shore makes a curve back toward the dock, I found that I could get another view of the lighthouse. I was a bit further away this time but with a 300mm lens, I was able to capture this photo.

The tower of the lighthouse is a solid red color and the attached house is red on the bottom and white on the second story. This gives it a very distinctive look. Stop by my Squidoo pages to read more about my Michigan lighthouse adventures.Michigan Lighthouses

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse

This historic lighthouse is found in Mackinaw City just before you cross the Mackinac Bridge to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The lighthouse has been in operation since 1889, guiding ships through the waters of the Straits of Mackinac where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. When we visited in September of 2013, it was a cloudy and misty day. You can see in the photo above I was able to capture just a portion of the 5 mile Mackinac Bridge in the background. The rest of the bridge disappeared into the misty fog. In researching a bit about the lighthouse, I found that it served to guide ships for over 65 years through the dangerous waters. In 1957 it was decommissioned. It was no longer needed because the lights on the newly constructed bridge served to guide the ships. Today visitors can tour the lighthouse and visit the exhibits to get a feel for the importance this lighthouse played in the history of the shipping industry. I have photographed many lighthouses and this one has a very distinctive look and feel to it. I love the brick work on the tower. Here is a photo I took from the water side.

Read more about my adventures in photographing lighthouses. Lighthouse Photography

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse Postcard by lighthouseenthusiast
Browse Mackinac lighthouse Postcards

Split Rock Lighthouse in Minnesota

We took a fall trip to Minnesota to photograph the lighthouses and the fall foliage. I had heard that Split Rock on Lake Superior was a great lighthouse to photograph so I was really looking forward to seeing it. I got my first view when we stopped at a roadside viewing area about 1/2 mile from the lighthouse. I was amazed at the great view of the lighthouse from this distance. It was a cloudy day and the sky was grey but I was able to get this photo of the lighthouse with the pretty fall foliage in the foreground.

The next day was a brighter day so we headed out in the morning to the state park where the Split Rock Lighthouse is located. I wanted to get some more photos from the area near the shore and then I was planning on touring the lighthouse. I walked on several trails near the lighthouse looking for a perfect spot for a photo. I ended up taking over 100 shots, but I think the one below of the lighthouse framed in the fall leaves, is my favorite.

After finishing shooting from the shoreline, I took a tour of the lighthouse and lighthouse grounds. It is a fairly short lighthouse with only 32 steps to reach the top of the tower. The location high on the cliff is what gives the lighthouse a prominant position for warning ships from the coast. Here is my favorite photo taken up close to the lighthouse.

Minnesota Lighthouses Calendar by lighthouseenthusiast
Browse other Minnesota lighthouses Calendars

Cape Hatteras "America's Lighthouse"

Did you know that the lighthouses of the Outer Banks are each painted a different design so that the ships could easily tell where they were in relation to the coast? In the 1800's when these lighthouses were built they didn't have the navigational guides that are available today, designing each lighthouse differently was a great aid to the mariners.

Cape Hatteras lighthouse was painted in a black and white spiraled design. Read more about Cape Hatteras at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse