South Buffalo North Side Light
Why it's listed
Marking the north side of the south entrance to Buffalo Harbor, this beacon was erected in 1903 on the breakwater at the edge of Lake Erie. It is one of two bottle-shaped beacons in the harbor. The 29-foot tower is built of boiler plate, 3/8 inch thick at the base and 1/4 inch at the slender neck. It measures just over 10 feet across at the base and 2 feet 3 inches at the top. Four cast-iron port windows and a curved iron door distinguish it, and a boiler-plate dome forms the white-painted roof. The tower sits on a circular concrete base atop a stone-filled crib founded on bedrock. Originally it held a sixth-order Fresnel lens and a fixed white oil lamp that was raised and lowered by a cable, pulley and winch. Around 1960 a battery-operated 12-volt lamp with a green plastic lens replaced it. The beacon remains in service and is credited with helping Buffalo develop as a port.
Significance in brief: The record describes it as one of two bottle-shaped beacons in Buffalo Harbor and notes that it played an important role in the development of Buffalo as a port. It is part of a group nomination of U.S. Coast Guard lighthouses and light stations on the Great Lakes.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83001673, listed August 4, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Buffalo Harbor, Buffalo |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | August 4, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001673 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered, with exterior intact; still in use as a harbor beacon. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.83530, -78.86724 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83001673.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7566452
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.