1896 — Sandusky Bay light-station, Ohio.—By the act approved June 11, 1896, $30,000 was appropriated for establishing two range lights in Sandusky Bay, Ohio. Work upon these lights will be begun as soon as practicable.

1897 – Sandusky Bay Outer Range, entrance to Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Ohio.—Designs for the structures were prepared and contract was made for the erection of the buildings. The station will consist of a dwelling, with tower attached, upon a concrete pier 50 feet square, and a tower upon a crib 40 feet square, about 2,000 feet distant from the former.

1898 – 1261, 1262. Sandusky Bay, Outer Range, entrance to Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Ohio.—The structures for the construction of which Congress appropriated $30,000 by act approved June 11, 1896, were completed on January 15, 1898. The object had in view in establishing this station was to provide range lights to guide vessels over the bar at the entrance to Sandusky Bay, through a channel being improved by the United States. As several shoals along the range line between the Straight Channel and the lake are yet to be removed, the lighting of the station is postponed.

1900 – 108, 109. Sandusky Bay, outer range, entrance to Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Ohio.—The channel over the outer bar having been improved, these lights were lighted on the opening of navigation, 1900, to form a range line to guide from the Cedar Point range line, through the Deep Hole and the improved channel, to the Sandusky Bay Inner Straight Channel Range line.

1901 – 110, 111. Sandusky Bay outer range, entrance to Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Ohio.—A life rail was put around both cribs at a height of about 5 feet above the water. Iron ladders were put up, one on the easterly face of each crib, and a timber outrigger, extending 10 feet from the crib, was put up on the southerly side of the front crib. A brick 1,200-gallon cistern was built in the cellar. The color of the keeper’s dwelling and both towers was changed from yellowish drab to white. Various repairs were made.

1902 – 112-113. Sandusky Bay, outer range, entrance to Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Ohio.—The 180° lens of the front light was changed to the rear beacon, and the 315° lens of the rear light was installed in the front beacon, to equalize the brilliancy of the lights and make them more efficient. Various repairs were made.

1914 – Sandusky Bay—Intensity of Range Lights Increased. On October 7, 1914, the illuminating apparatus in the Sandusky Outer and Inner Range Lights was changed to reflectors, greatly increasing the efficiency of these lights. The Outer Range lights are now about 2,000 candlepower each, and the Inner Range lights of about 600 candlepower each.

1925 – Sandusky Harbor, Ohio. - See Annual Report, 1923, page 69. An allotment of $50,000 was made under the act of May 28, 1924, for commencing work on this project. The following work has been accomplished during the fiscal year by the district construction force and plant: A reinforced concrete base for the pierhead tower at outer end of jetty completed; structural steel for four range towers and for the pierhead light and fog-signal tower fabricated at Buffalo depot shop and transported to the site; plans for concrete power house approved, materials ordered, and construction commenced; steel for pierhead tower partially erected; electric generator units ordered. Further progress on this project after this season is contingent upon additional funds. Amount expended to June 30, 1925, $26,512.56.

1925 – Lake Carriers’ Association – Sandusky Harbor, Ohio.
Work was in active progress throughout the season on extensive improvements to aids in navigation at Sandusky Harbor. These improvements consist of the establishment of a modern light and fog signal on the outer jetty at the entrance to channel leading to the bay, the rebuilding of the four range light structures, and installing an electric power station at Cedar Point from which all the lights and the fog signal will be operated by remote control. At the close of the season the work actually completed on this project was as follows: The concrete foundation at outer end of jetty was completed, and the steel tower for the light and fog signal tower was erected. A temporary acetylene light is now maintained on this tower. A reinforced concrete power house was built at Cedar Point, and two 34-horsepower oil engine generator units were installed. The steel work for the four range towers was fabricated and delivered at the site, ready for erection.
The work remaining to be done is the purchase and installation of the submarine cables and electrical apparatus, the erection of the new range light structures to replace the present wooden buildings, and the erection of additional quarters for keepers. The completion of this project in 1926 is contingent on securing a further appropriation for the work.

1925 – Sandusky Harbor, Ohio. - For completing light and fog signal at the entrance to Sandusky Bay, Ohio, and improving existing aids, $50,000.
Note. – The entrance to Sandusky Bay and Harbor is especially difficult to locate in thick weather. The east jetty has been extended lakeward, and an efficient light and fog signal at the end of this jetty is very necessary. In addition to this need, the four wooden frame range towers marking the dredged channel into Sandusky are rapidly deteriorating and should be replaced by steel structures, and the intensity of the lights should be increased. It is proposed to operate the proposed light and fog signal at the entrance to the harbor and the four range lights by electricity with remote control from a power house located at the Sandusky Bay (Cedar Point) depot nearby. This plan will necessitate providing quarters for two additional keepers. Sandusky is a city of over 22,000 and has an extensive lake commerce, which in 1923 amounted to a traffic of 3,896,000 tons, valued at over $18,000,000. There is also an extensive passenger traffic. Under the act of May 28, 1924, an allotment of $50,000 was made for commencing this project and work is now in progress. Under this allotment the following work has been accomplished: Reinforced concrete base for pierhead light completed, structural steel for pierhead tower and four range towers fabricated in district shops and delivered at site, steel for pierhead tower partially erected, power house being constructed, and two oil-engine generator units ordered. The amount requested is for the purpose of completing work under this project.

1926 – Sandusky Harbor, Ohio. See Annual Reports, 1923, page 69, and 1925, page 28. The following work has been accomplished during the fiscal year by the district construction force and plant: Concrete power house erected and two electric oil engine generator units installed, pierhead light and fog-signal tower erected in place, one rear range tower assembled and riveted ready for erection on site and work started for second tower, and order for electric submarine cables issued. Total amount expended to June 30, 1926, $49,309.97.

1926 – Sandusky Harbor, Ohio. - For completing light and fog signal at the entrance to Sandusky Bay, Ohio, and improving existing aids, $27,000. Note. - The entrance to Sandusky Bay and Harbor is especially difficult to locate in thick weather. The east jetty has been extended lakeward, and an efficient light and fog signal at the end of this jetty is very necessary. Also the four wooden frame range towers marking the dredged channel into Sandusky are rapidly deteriorating and should be replaced by steel structures, and the intensity of the lights should be increased. The proposed light and fog signal at the entrance to the harbor and the four range lights will be operated by electricity with remote control from a power house located at the Sandusky Bay (Cedar Point) depot nearby. This plane will necessitate providing quarters for two additional keepers. Sandusky has an extensive lake commerce which, in 1925, amounted to 6,700,000 tons, valued at over $26,000,000. There is also extensive lake passenger traffic. Allotments of $75,600 from former appropriations have been made for this project and work is now in progress. Under these allotments the following work has been accomplished: Reinforced concrete base for pierhead light completed, structural steel for pierhead tower and four range towers fabricated in district shops and delivered at site, steel for pierhead tower erected and two range towers assembled, power house constructed, two oil-engine generator units installed and submarine cable ordered. The amount requested is for the purpose of completing the work, the total estimated cost of which will be $102,600.
See Annual Reports, 1923, page 69; 1925, page 28; and 1926, page 25. Four wooden range-light towers were removed and skeleton steel towers erected on same foundations; submarine cables delivered, and those between the range lights and shore were laid; concrete foundation for keepers’ dwelling completed; fog-signal and electrical apparatus purchased; and switchboard for power house built at Buffalo Lighthouse Depot. Total amount expended to June 30, 1927, $75,452.

1926 – Lake Carriers’ Association - Sandusky Harbor, Ohio.
The work of improving the aids to navigation at this harbor was in progress throughout 1926. The project consists of establishing a modern light and fog signal on the outer end of jetty at the entrance to channel leading to the bay, replacing of the four wooden range towers with skeleton steel towers, and installing an electric power station at Cedar Point from which all the lights and the fog signal will be operated by remote control.
The work complete follows: Old wooden range towers were razed and replaced with steel towers, concrete foundation for keeper’s dwelling completed, part of submarine cables laid, and oil engine generator unit delivered at Buffalo Lighthouse Depot for transfer to site next spring. If funds are available, work on this project will be actively pushed through to completion in 1927.

1927 – Lake Carriers’ Association - Work on the project for improving the aids to navigation at this spot has been in active progress during 1927. This project is now nearing completion. The submarine cables and electrical installation, including the power house at Cedar Point, have been completed. On November 15, 1927, the electric lights in the Inner and outer ranges were placed in commission, replacing the former oil lights. This change greatly increased the luminous power of these lights. It is expected that the new electric occulting light on the pierhead tower at outer end of jetty will be in operation at the opening of navigation, 1928, and the air diaphone fog-signal also at this point will be placed in commission shortly thereafter. The project also included the building of a double dwelling for keepers at Cedar Point, which has been completed.

1928 - Sandusky, Harbor, Ohio. See annual reports 1923 - 1927. This project was completed. It included building a light and fog-signal structure of skeleton steel construction with inclosed house at top, located at outer end of jetty entrance to the dredged channel, replacing four frame range towers with steel structures, building a concrete power house, installing oil engine electric generators with complete electrical equipment, including submarine cables, and building a brick veneer dwelling for two additional keepers. The fog signal is an air diaphone, and all lights as well as the fog signal are controlled from the power house. During the fiscal year, the work accomplished consisted of completing the installation of electrical and mechanical equipment, completing all structures, including the dwelling and power house. Total cost, $104,852. 1928 – Lake Carriers’ Association – The temporary acetylene light marking the pierhead during construction operations was discontinued and the permanent light established on top of the new steel tower on march 15. The characteristic of the light is occulting white, 6 seconds, light 4 seconds, eclipse 2 seconds, of 7,500 candlepower, 66 feet above water, visible 15 miles. On June 1 the fog signal was established. It is an air diaphone sounding a blast of 3 seconds’ duration every 30 seconds. These changes mark the completion of the extensive improvement project which has been in progress at this point for several seasons. The lights and fog signal at this harbor are now electrically operated. The current is generated at the lighthouse station on Cedar Point and all aids are controlled from that point.

Keepers: John Safe (1898 – 1899), Robert P. Waterfield (1900 – 1903), Sylvester Burke (1903), Chancie Fitzmorris (1903 – 1909), Thomas H. Holtan (1909), Charles C. Sellman (1910 – 1917), John W. Bennett (1917 – at least 1921).

Modern lights mark this range today.

A fifth-order Fresnel lens used in the Sandusky Bay Outer Range Rear Lighthouse is on display at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio.

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