Presque Isle Lighthouse

Presque Isle Lighthouse is a stone tower that rises from the Lake Erie shoreline with a spiral interior passage reaching to its top. The structure houses a fourth-order Fresnel lens and sits next to a residential building dating to the 1870s.

Congress approved funds in 1838 for construction of this lighthouse, which began guiding vessels through Lake Erie waters in 1873. The facility was built during a period of expanding ship traffic on the Great Lakes.

The lighthouse tower stands as a testament to Great Lakes maritime navigation, with multiple generations of keepers maintaining its function through changing times.

Access to the tower is available from May through October when guided tours operate. Visitors can climb the interior stairs and explore the attached residence from that era.

The keeper's residence dates to the same year the tower first operated and was constructed with materials sourced from the local area. The rooms retain the furnishings and style of that 1870s period.

Location: Millcreek Township

Address: Presque Isle State Park, 301 Peninsula Dr, Erie, PA 16505

Phone: +(814)8333604

Website: https://presqueislelighthouse.org

GPS coordinates: 42.16574,-80.11526

Latest update: December 14, 2025 12:24