Cleveland Ledge Lighthouse

July 23, 2019
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Cleveland Ledge Lighthouse, Cleveland, Ohio

CLEVELAND EAST LEDGE LIGHT 

Location: BUZZARDS BAY/CLEVELAND LEDGE CHANNEL 
Station Established: 1943 
Year Current/Last Tower(s) First Lit: 1943 
Operational? YES 
Automated? YES 1978 
Deactivated: n/a 
Foundation Materials: CONCRETE/ROCK CAISSON 
Construction Materials: REINFORCED CONCRETE 
Tower Shape: CYLINDRICAL ON SQUARE DWELLING 
Markings/Pattern: WHITE TOWER/BROWN CAISSON/BLACK LANTERN 
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL 
Original Lens: FOURTH ORDER, FRESNEL 1943 

Historical Information:

* Only lighthouse in Massachusetts that was built by the Coast Guard.
* Named after President Grover Cleveland because he used to fish in the area.
* 1940 – State of Massachusetts started construction.
* 1941 – State turned over the construction project to the Federal government (i.e. the Coast Guard).
* 1943 – After being slowed by the onset of WWII, construction of the lighthouse was completed.
* 1944 – Severe hurricane hit the lighthouse, dislodged a glass block skylight which allowed water to flow through the building.
* 1978 – 4th order lens replaced and light was automated.
* 1990 – Coast Guard renovated the structure.

Researched and written by Marie Vincent, a volunteer through the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society.