Marblehead Lighthouse
Ohio’s Marblehead Lighthouse on Lake Erie is the oldest and one of the most popular lighthouses on the Great Lakes. This lighthouse has been in continuous operation since 1822, and, like many, has undergone several transformations in its history. Visitors to the original lighthouse would have seen a rougher limestone tower, ten feet shorter, and a clear fresnel lens lit with a whale oil lantern. Today, a green lens sets the tower’s electric light apart from nearby air beacons. Now completely automated with modern technology, the light is managed by the U.S. Coast Guard and open to the public.
Nearby, sightseers can also visit the stone home of the original lighthouse keeper, Benejah Wolcott, a Revolutionary War veteran, and a museum adjacent to the lighthouse containing exhibits and artifacts from the light’s history.
Kirk Whalum is a jazz and R&B saxophonist known for his soulful songwriting and performances. Early in his career, Whalum was taken on tour by Bob James, eventually collaborating with him on several albums, including the Grammy-nominated Joined at the Hip. Whalum has also been a session musician for top artists including Barbara Streisand and Whitney Houston, and notably appeared on the latter’s mega-hit “I Will Always Love You.” An ordained minister with a Masters of Art in Religion, Whalum won a Grammy award for Best Gospel Song in 2011.
Links
Marblehead Lighthouse State Park
LighthouseFriends.com: Marblehead Lighthouse
Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society
Kirk Whalum Official Site