Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society
The Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society (THLPS) is an all volunteer nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve, restore and provide public outreach and access to the lighthouse. The organization has gown to over 600 members. THLPS owns the lighthouse and leases the original Toledo Lighthouse lens. THLPS is proud of our accomplishments and our members. Meetings are open to all.
The original light at the Toledo Lighthouse, a 3 1/2 order Fresnel Lens made by Barbier and Bernard, is located at the lodge at Maumee Bay State Park and can be seen anytime. The lens has two bulls eyes and one clam shell. The lit prisms and glass made the light visible up to sixteen miles. The 3.5 order Fresnel lens is one of only three made. The Toledo Lighthouse is one of a kind - very unique architecturally .
The Secretary of the Department of Interior approved the application for the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society (THLPS) to own the lighthouse. On April 25, 2007, THLPS received the the deed and keys to the lighthouse. We are all grateful to those that helped with this lengthy process.
The Toledo Lighthouse Society received two grants to assist with the Restoration Plans and Specifications. Ohio D.N.R. through the Coastal Zone Management Program, provided a two year $48,000 grant for Duket Architects to prepare plans and specification for the lighthouse restoration project. Also, the Ohio Lake Erie Protection Fund awarded $14,900 for this project. The total cost of the project is $102,000. The additional funding was provided from fundraising, memberships and a five year loan.
The restoration will cost an estimated $1.5 million. Restoration Phase is the recipient of a FHWA/ODOT $500,000 grant with a match of $138,000 required. The 'My Lighthouse Window Capital Campaign' is underway. The first phase of the Restoration includes windows, doors, shutters and tucking the brick. Restoration Phase Two is for infrastructure and will include solar power, electrical, plumbing, a wastewater system, and gray water treatment. Restoration Phase Three if for interior work and finishing. Additional grants are being sought to complete restoration.
Once the restoration is complete, two couples will become 'Lighthouse Keepers' that will stay at the lighthouse for some number of days to allow visitors to see the lighthouse from May through October. Members will be given preference to become 'Lighthouse Keepers' and then will be open to the public(through an application process).
A ramp, dock and lift received a grant from the Lake Erie Protection Fund(Marblehead License Plates), Art Iron provided the Platform, and the Toledo Lighthouse Society provided the rest. The access project was completed in October 2008. On April 9, 2009 all was well, On April 11 the dock and ramp were gone along with parts of the lift. The ramp was recovered, the dock never was recovered. A new dock and lift were installed by Meinke's in July 2011. The dock and parts of the lift will be brought on shore for the winter. Perhaps in 2012 the ramp will also be installed.
In 2007 the Toledo Lighthouse Society won the Excellence Preservation Award from the Landmark's Preservation Council.
You can view the Toledo Lighthouse from the shores of Maumee Bay State Park through a viewer located on the walkway on the east side of the marina in front Of the lodge near the marina.
We hope that you will consider having a lighthouse window in your name, donating/joining the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society, Our major annual event is the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Festival featuring boat rides around the lighthouse, island music, nautical arts and crafts, food, children's activities and a silent auction. The Toledo Lighthouse Festival is July 7 and 8th, 2012.
Phase One Toledo Lighthouse Restoration Grant
Thanks to Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak, Pete Gerken, and Carol Contrada for the Lucas County sponsoring the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society's transporation enhancement grant application for rehabilitation, Phase One,ucking brick, wiindows, doors, shutters.
LIGHTHOUSE MEETING
Thurs.
May 31st
on Thursday
at 7:00 pm at the lodge at Maumee Bay State Park.
Get the meeting location at the lodge front desk.
For the 2012 season, there will be tours to see the inside of the Toledo Lighthouse. If you want to be notified of the inside lighthouse tours, please email Dan Hall with your name, phone and email. Inside tours are planned for the festival weekend, July 7th and 8th. There will also be tours to go around the lighthouse.
If you want to go on a tour - remember - all tours are weather dependent, there is limited availability. To tour the inside of the lighthouse you have to be able to climb a rung ladder - about six rungs - to the lighthouse deck -and sign a waiver of liability form. NO FLIPFLOPS. Must be physically able. There are 76 steps to the top - three stories in the homelike part and three stories in the tower. Tours are in small groups of 6 leaving from the marina at Maumee Bay State Park. The cost is $40. The trip includes the boat ride and a 90 day lighthouse membership.
The tour and boat trip are over an hour. Again tours are always weather dependent. There must be little to no wind. Canceled trips are posted on the web site. When making a reservation you will be asked for a credit card number which will not be charged until the day of the tour.
To get updates about the lighthouse restoration and other Toledo lighthouse news, become part of the Toledo Lighthouse family by becoming a member. To become a member please click here. All members of the lighthouse are lighthouse owners who take great pride in being stewards for this historic structure. A membership 'perk' is that members will be offered the first opportunity to stay at the lighthouse when the restoration is complete. The order will be by member seniority.
My Toledo Lighthouse Window.....
Your very own Toledo Lighthouse window in your name. Help restore the lighthouse and forever have a window in your name. There are north, east, south and west view windows on all the floors. Some windows are taken so select a window soon.. Email jhalloh@comcast.net for more information.
The Toledo Lighthouse can be observed from shore thru a viewer on the east side of the marina in front of the lodge at Maumee Bay State Park.
About the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse......
The Toledo Lighthouse sits on a crib about five miles north off shore from Maumee Bay State Park. The lighthouse marks the Toledo shipping channel where the waters of Lake Erie meet the shallow waters of Maumee Bay. The Romanesque lighthouse was completed May 23, 1904 and is architecturally unique with buff brick and a rolled edge steel roof. The lighthouse is 4000 sq. ft. and stands 64' high. The boulders were added to three sides of the base in 1989 when the lighthouse was secured by the Army Corps of Engineers. You can see the lighthouse from a viewer on shore located on the walkway near the marina at the lodge.
Click here for the Toledo Blade magazine story
Click here for Blade story
lick here forToledo Blade editorial.
Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society
Toledo Harbor Lighthouse Society, 1750 Park Rd. #2 Toledo, Ohio 43616 419-691-3788 Fax 419-691-2288 sandylakeerie@aol.com
Toledo Lighthouse.....
'My Toledo Lighthouse Window'
Capital Campaign.
Have a Toledo Lighthouse Window in your name with a short verse by getting a window in the
The 2012 9th annual Toledo Lighthouse Waterfront Festival promises to be the best ever with trips into and around the lighthouse(weather permitting). The festival has a Nautical Arts and Crafts Village, continuous entertainment in the amphitheatre including the American Legion Band, Polish Band, Randy and the Reef Sharks Concert Saturday evening. There are also magicians and great food... perch, shrimp and the largest waterfront silent auction. Arts Crafts Application. Lighthouse Photo Contest Application. Silent Auction Application
The festival is July 7th & 8th at Maumee Bay State Park by the inland lake.
Read the accounting of being at the Toledo Lighthouse on tornado Palm Sunday
by former Lighthouse Keeper Tim Mayer
