Off the shore of Lorain, Ohio is the lighthouse that has become the symbol of the city. It served for years as a beacon of light for ships on Lake Erie. What tales it could tell of storms and shipwrecks, of dutiful serving and patient waiting. It was the steady beam on which captains depended as they sailed the lake.

The first permanent settlement at the mouth of Black River was made in 1807. The post office was established a few years later and since the settlement had no name, the post office was called the Mouth of Black River. This was later shortened to Black River.

In 1834 the village was incorporated as Charleston.Forty years later, in 1874, Charleston was re-incorporated as Lorain. The town developed shipbuilding as its first major industry.

The first navagation light was a lantern hanging from a pole near the mouth of Black River. However small, it was a help to vessels on the lake. Still, there was a need for something better in the early years of the 1800s.

The first lighthouse on the Black River was built in 1836-37. It was a brick structure built close to the shore. The light used lard oil fuel,which was later changed to kerosene.

A year later on November 26, 1838 Lieutenant C. T, Platt, U. S. N. wrote in a report that the Black River Beacon was lit with 8 fixed lamps, each with a reflector in need re-silvering. The Beacon it leaked badly, its frame needed soldering and the windows needed puttying, all of which could be done for $25.

When Charles Dickens made his 1841 trip to the American west, as he sailed from Sandusky to Cleveland, past the Black River, he noted the Charleston lighthouse and the lights of the town.

By 1875 the lake had deposited sand near the location of the lighthouse. Thus, it was said to be on the shoreline. Over the years many changes and improvements were made. This first light was replaced in 1875 when a new light was placed at the end of a newly constructed 600-foot pier that led from the west side of the mouth of Black River. Every day the keeper had to take the oil to the lighthouse. Storms often blew from the west and on two different occasions lighthouse keepers were washed from the pier and drowned. It was decided to build a 3-4 foot high metal walkway on top of the pier so that the keepers would be above the "green" water of the waves.

In 1880, the 180-foot walkway had to be rebuilt. Four years later, in 1884, the walkway was is such bad condition, it was rebuilt again rebuilt and extended to 780 feet.

Two ships ran into the pier during 1890. The schooner B. F. Bruce damaged the elevated walkway on July 1, 1890. Slight damage was done by Iron Boat No. 102 on July 24, 1890. Both owners paid for the repair.

The new 1917 lighthouse was built on a wooden crib foundation. The crib was filled with sandstone and sunk into 30 feet of water. On the top a concrete base was built, and above that was the construction of the three-storied building. Included on the first floor was the engine room, and storage. The second floor included the living quarters. Electricity was installed in 1932. The rotating beam projected 15 miles out. The bulb in the center was surrounded by “fresnel” lens, which is a series of glass prisms, each of which magnifies the light into a final brightness of 50,000-candle power (924 Watts).

In 1939, the U. S. Coast Guard took over operation of the lighthouse. During one month in the late 1950s they received over 60 distress calls. The Coast Guard maintained the facility until 1965, when it was decommissioned. A new automatic light had been installed on the pier and only was checked occasionally. Upon decommissioning the lighthouse was scheduled to be torn down.

The first Lorain Lighthouse Celebration was held on August 5, 1989 to secure the lighthouse's place in the history of Lorain. Many people worked to save the Lighthouse. Ownership went through many hands until in 1990, when the Port of Lorain Foundation, Inc. bought it for $1.00. Since that time much money and effort has gone into restoration. New steel piling was driven around the outside of the wooden crib, and concrete was poured into the entire base. The building itself was restored and painted.

The pier leading to the lighthouse has a water separation so that the current will help to keep sand from building-up at the mouth of Black River. While this is very necessary for navigation, it also causes problems of accessibility for people who want to visit the lighthouse. There are plans for boat tours to the Lorain lighthouse in the near future.