The Historic Dunkirk Lighthouse on the Banks of Lake Erie

Earlier this month we took a 4 day road trip through Pennsylvania up to western New York to attend the Solar Eclipse Festival in Dunkirk. While visiting the area we stopped in to visit the historic Dunkirk Lighthouse along the banks of beautiful Lake Erie. 

Hours of Operation: Varies according to the time of the year. Please see the scheduled posted on their website for additional information.

Admission: There's a small fee to tour the inside of the lighthouse. It's free to walk around the grounds and to visit the exhibits located on the property. Parking is free. Group rates are available.

The Dunkirk Lighthouse was built in 1875 with a stone tower standing 61 foot tall. The lighthouse is connected to the lightkeepers victorian-style home. It has a Fresnel Lens that was imported from Paris, France and is still in operation today. The light's range is approximately 27 miles.

Located on the property are several other out buildings and exhibits. You'll find the museum building, gift shop, public restroom, ship anchor's, a war tank, various memorials and information plaques, etc. There's quite a bit to look at during your visit. 

In the photograph above you'll see a plaque and light on the property. Here's what the plaque has to say.

This plaque is dedicated to all the Keepers of the Dunkirk Lighthouse who served from 1826 to 1960 on the 200th anniversary of the United States Lighthouse Service, August 6th, 1989. It then lists the name's of all of the Dunkirk Lighthouse Keepers. 

When visiting you'll want to allow 1 hour in your schedule if you're just walking around the grounds. If you plan on touring the inside of the lighthouse and climbing the stairs to the top you'll want to allow 2-3 hours in your schedule. Make sure you check their hours of operation before you go. 

Parking is free! The grounds are fairly flat so those with walking issues should have no problem. Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for current weather conditions. To the right of the lighthouse you'll see a colorful building that contains the public restrooms. There's no public beach access. 

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