Just When Was the Lorain Lighthouse Built? – Part 2

There really is no controversy regarding the dates associated with the construction of the Lorain Lighthouse. It just depends on whether you want to celebrate the anniversary of a lighthouse under construction but functioning, or one that is totally complete.

It is easy to go online and find the various government documents with the lighthouse construction progress reports. Site construction was expected to start in early July 1916, and was planned to be done in 1917, according to this report in the 1916 Reports of the Department of Commerce (below).

The 1917 Annual Report of the Commissioner of Lighthouses to the Secretary of Commerce included this update (below). The permanent light and fog signal were expected to be installed early in the 1918 season.

But by the time of the June 30, 1918 Reports of the Department of Commerce, the Lighthouse still wasn't quite done (see below).

Finally, the 1919 report provides a nice description (spread out over two pages) of the now completed lighthouse.

Note that the lighthouse came in about 25 bucks under the $35,000 budget. I hope the keepers had a good party with the leftover loot.