Access to Point Abino Lighthouse remains restricted but cherished

The Point Abino Lighthouse is often referred to as the Taj Mahal of the Great Lakes, a national historic site sitting on the north shore of Lake Erie.

More than 10 years ago, a $1.5-million restoration of the structure was completed, paid for mostly by a federal grant of $425,000 as well as the sale of the keeper’s dwelling, a home sitting next to it that was lived in by the person who operated it before it was decommissioned in 1995.

The dwelling was sold for about $800,000 and the remaining balance of the renovation was covered by a reserve fund at the town, explained Rick Doan, a local historian and past-president of the Point Abino Lighthouse Preservation Society (PALPS).

The lighthouse was constructed in 1917 by the Department of Marine and Fisheries in response to increased traffic at the east end of Lake Erie.

While the site is owned by the local municipality and is maintained by tax dollars, it is only accessible on scheduled tour dates during the summer, an issue that displeased many local residents when the restoration project was being considered.

An evergreen contract between the town and the Point Abino homeowners association, made up of people who live within the gated community the lighthouse sits in, remains in place to restrict access to specific dates and times.

Doan told Fort Erie Radio that he only hears “once in a while” about access concerns today.

“It’s getting more and more rare,” he said.

Doan said he visits many other lighthouses in the U.S., many of which are hit with vandalism and graffiti.

“But the (Point Abino) Lighthouse doesn’t have any of those problems” due to the agreement in place about limited access, said Doan.

Last year, a Fresnel lens was installed, a specialty piece of equipment that is usually “impossible” to find, said Doan.

One was acquired for $2,000 CAD that was used in a movie called ‘Slumberland,’ which Netflix bought for $80,000 USD to use in the motion picture, according to Doan.

“It’s a pretty fantastic thing,” said Doan, noting it adds to the ambience of the lighthouse.

There are two dates for guided tours remaining on this year’s schedule, September 13 and 27, where a historian joins guests to explain the site and answer questions.

According to the town’s website, September 13 is already sold out.

But on weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m., and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., guests are able to park at the gate and walk to the lighthouse. This offering ends Labour Day.

Fort Erie Radio took advantage of an on-site tour Monday, walking about 20 minutes from the gate to the lake beacon.

Also on the stroll were Crystal Beach seasonal residents Mike and Bernadette Heins from Williamsville, N.Y.

“We come at least once a year,” said Bernadette, also joined by family friends who were visiting from Indiana.

“It’s really nice to have access to it,” she said.

All visits must be booked through an Eventbrite link on the town’s website.

The cost for guided tours is six dollars and the daily non-guided visits are free.

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