East Charity Shoal Light facts for kids
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| East Charity Shoal Light | |
 East Charity Shoal Light
Location in New York
East Charity Shoal Light
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lake Ontario, approximately 6 mi (9.7 km) SW of entrance to Saint Lawrence River off Tibbetts Point Light |
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| Coordinates | 44°2′12″N 76°28′54″W / 44.03667°N 76.48167°W |
| Year first constructed | 1877 (in Ohio) 1935 (in New York) |
| Year first lit | 1877 (in Ohio) 1935 (in New York) |
| Automated | 1939 |
| Foundation | Concrete |
| Construction | Cast iron |
| Tower shape | Frustum of an octagon |
| Markings / pattern | White with black lantern |
| Height | 16 feet (4.9 m) |
| Focal height | 52 feet (16 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth-order Fresnel lens |
| Range | 9 miles (14 km) |
| Characteristic | Flashing red 4s (Fl R 4s) |
| Fog signal | None |
| ARLHS number | USA-970 |
| USCG number | 7-1760 |
The East Charity Shoal Light is a lighthouse located in Lake Ontario. It stands near the entrance of the Saint Lawrence River. This lighthouse is about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of Wolfe Island. It sits on the edge of a large, round underwater dip called the Charity Shoal Crater. Scientists think this dip might have been made by a meteorite hitting the Earth long ago.
The lighthouse is in Jefferson County, New York. It is also very close to the border between Canada and the United States.
This lighthouse tower has an interesting past. It first stood in Ohio from 1877 to 1929. Then, it was moved and set up in its current spot in New York in 1935. The East Charity Shoal Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Since 2009, it has been owned by a private person. However, it still works as an important light for boats.
Contents
What the Lighthouse Looks Like
The East Charity Shoal Light stands on a strong concrete base. This base is 50 feet (15 m) long on each side. It rises about 18 feet (5.5 m) above the water of Lake Ontario. The base is built on a wooden frame and has rocks around it for protection.
The lighthouse tower itself has a concrete deckhouse at the bottom. This part is 11 feet (3.4 m) tall and 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. Above this, a white cast iron tower rises three stories high. On top of the tower is a black lantern room. This is where the light shines from.
Inside, the lighthouse has a basement and five floors. The total height of the base and tower together is 56 feet (17 m). The light works automatically and gets its power from solar panels. The light shines from 52 feet (16 m) above the water. It can be seen from about 9 miles (14 km) away.
You cannot visit the East Charity Shoal Light. But, you can often see it from Tibbetts Point Light on a clear day.
History of the Lighthouse
Early Life in Ohio
The tower was first built using old cannons. These cannons were melted down and reshaped after the American Civil War. The tower was first used at the Vermilion Light Station in Ohio. It served there from 1877 until 1929. It had to be removed because it was damaged by a bad ice storm. Later, in 1991, a copy of the tower was put back at Vermilion.
Moving to New York
Before this lighthouse was built, the Charity Shoal area was dangerous for boats. For example, a ship called the Rosedale hit the rocks there in 1897. In 1900, people checked the shoal. They found it was a rocky area about 3,000 feet (914 m) long. The water there was only about 10 feet (3 m) deep.
A buoy was placed on the east side of the shoal. But, boats still kept hitting the rocks. So, the United States Lighthouse Service decided to build a stronger light to guide ships.
Work on the concrete base for the East Charity Shoal Light started in 1934. The tower was then put in place in 1935. When it first started working, the light used a special Fresnel lens. It was powered by acetylene gas.
New Ownership
In 2008, the government decided the East Charity Shoal Light was no longer needed by them. They offered it for free to groups that would take care of it. These groups would need to keep it open for learning or history. However, no such group was found to take it.
So, in 2009, the lighthouse was put up for auction. A person named Cyrena Nolan bought it for $25,501. She bought it on August 27, 2009. At that time, she planned to turn the lighthouse into a vacation home.
Even though the lighthouse is now privately owned, its light still works. The United States Coast Guard still owns the light itself. There is an agreement that allows the Coast Guard to access the lighthouse. This lets them keep the light working or make changes to it. The agreement also says that nothing can be built that would block the light's view.
Images for kids
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East Charity Shoal Light
