Pennsylvania expanded it's territory by purchasing 45 miles of Lake Erie's shoreline in the late 1700's, and the port of Erie quickly grew into an important harbor. It was here in Erie Bay where Capt. Perry's crew built the warships that defeated the powerful British fleet during the War of 1812. Soon after in 1818, the growing harbor was chosen as the site for the nation's 2nd lighthouse on the Great Lakes.
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The original light was built on top of a sandy sub-soil, which resulted in a tilting tower that had to be torn down. A new sandstone tower was built in 1867 on stable land, and still exists today. The lantern room was removed after the light was abandoned in 1899. The tower stood "headless" for almost 100 years until local citizens rebuilt new wooden lantern & watch rooms, mimicking their original appearance.
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