Federal government to give away Cleveland lighthouse in Lake Erie for free

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The federal government is giving away a famed Lake Erie lighthouse on Cleveland’s shoreline, but there is a catch.

The General Services Administration announced on Thursday that the Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse “has been determined to be excess to the needs” of the United States Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security.

Because of that ruling, the lighthouse will be made available at no cost, but the entity to take the structure over must meet certain criteria, per the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000:

• Federal agencies
• State or local agencies
• Non-profit corporations
• Educational agencies or community development organizations for educational
• Park, recreational, cultural, or historic preservation purposes

Built in 1911, the lighthouse, which has been designated as a city of Cleveland landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places list, was described by the GSA as a 50-foot tower with an attached fog signal building on a concrete base.

The West Pierhead structure is known in the winter for collecting lakespray and transforming into ice-covered lighthouse.

The entity responsible for taking over the lighthouse must maintain the property to certain standards and historic requirements.

Information on how to acquire the property and the review process can be found here.

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