Blog

  • September 15, 2022Designing The Lighthouse
    When I purchased Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse from the federal government in 2011, I knew the nearly 100-year-old sorely neglected…
  • July 18, 2022The Break Wall
    Access to the lighthouse has always been a challenge. Direct water access is only available on the east side next to Fairport Harbor via…
  • July 7, 2022The Case of the Missing Dock
    When the engineers designed Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse and the platform where it sits, they designed only one access point to the…
  • June 11, 202297th Birthday Celebration
    Each year, we celebrate the day, June 9, 1925, that the beacon was first lit at Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse. It’s the lighthouse’s…
  • September 1, 2021Burhani Windows
    I first met John Burhani in November 2011 shortly after I purchased Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse from a government auction. He had…
  • June 12, 2021The Pandemic Pause
    News of an unusual virus coming out of China began circulating in December 2019. The highly contagious strain of coronavirus, named…
  • October 17, 2020The Elusive Utilities
    When I first purchased the lighthouse, I knew it needed a lot of repair and restoration. I also knew that whatever utilities (running…
  • September 2, 2020Divine Intervention
    We all know that God works in mysterious ways. One night recently, as I was walking back to the lighthouse from the parking lot carrying…
  • August 17, 2019The International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend
    Each year, the national association for Amateur Radio (ARRL) also known as “ham radio” operators, conducts the International Lighthouse…
  • June 25, 2019Life Savers
    Lighthouses and their keepers have often been known for saving ships and lives from the dangers of Mother Nature. History has documented…
  • August 26, 2018Chris and Friends
    One of the great things about owning a lighthouse is that you have a lot of visitors. Most are strangers who contact me for a tour or…
  • July 7, 2017The Wine Cellar
    Like most old buildings, the lighthouse has its share of unexplained nooks and crannies. The large area in the eves under the roof…
  • September 25, 2016Sunset Point
    When I purchased the lighthouse in 2011, there was very little left inside. There was no furniture, plumbing, sinks, toilets, doors,…
  • August 28, 2016Roar Off the Shore
    In sharp contrast to the quiet, majestic Tall Ships that sailed into Fairport Harbor in early July 2016, later that month Cleveland…
  • August 5, 2016Historic Places Plaque Presentation
    In 1991, the U.S. Coast Guard submitted the paperwork for Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse to be listed on the National Register of…
  • July 7, 2016Tall Ships 2016
    Each year, the Tall Ships America organization, which focuses on youth education, leadership development and the preservation of the…
  • May 15, 2016Painting the Lighthouse
    Whether you’re renovating just one room or an entire building, the cost of renovation can be particularly high when you’re dealing with a…
  • December 15, 2015Split Queen
    While the lighthouse restoration has been focused primarily on repairing the structure, thoroughly painting inside and out, patching…
  • November 15, 2015The Service Level
    I’ve had a lot of people tell me that it’s hard to visualize the inside of the lighthouse. Many are surprised to hear that there are…
  • October 17, 2015Lighthouse Lucy
    If you’ve been to visit the lighthouse this summer or gone by via boat, you may have noticed a beautiful blond patrolling the platform…