Green Island Light
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Why it's listed
Green Island Light is a ruined lighthouse complex on a small, uninhabited rocky island in western Lake Erie, about a mile west of South Bass Island. Built in 1864-65 of gray limestone, it combines a square tower, 49 feet tall, with an attached two-story keeper's dwelling. It replaced an 1855 lighthouse that burned on New Year's Eve 1863, a night remembered in island lore for the rescue of the keeper and his family. The new light first shone on July 1, 1865, and marked the South Passage through the Lake Erie Islands until 1939, when an automated light on a steel tower took over. The residence was abandoned in 1926. Today the tower retains its ten-sided iron and brass lantern without the lens, along with a stone privy and concrete walks. Foundations of vanished outbuildings remain relatively undisturbed, offering archaeological potential. The property was listed for its role in Lake Erie navigation and its lighthouse design.
Significance in brief: The light was built to guide vessels through the South Passage around the Lake Erie Islands, replacing an 1855 lighthouse destroyed by fire. It operated until 1939 and is significant for its role in Lake Erie transportation and as an example of a nineteenth-century lighthouse type. The site also may yield archaeological information about the light station and the keeper's family life.
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 90001909, listed December 18, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Green Island in Lake Erie, Put-in-Bay |
|---|---|
| County | Ottawa County |
| Listed | December 18, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001909 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1864-1939 |
| Architect / builder | T. N. Graham, Lighthouse Engineer, 10th & 11th L.H. District |
| Architectural style | Light station |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Abandoned since 1939 (residence abandoned 1926); the tower and dwelling are ruins, the island is a wildlife preserve, and the site is overgrown. |
| Acreage | 15.8 |
| Coordinates | 41.64572, -82.86584 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 90001909.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5602719
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.