Nestled Between Toledo and Cleveland Lies a Picturesque Ohio Village Home to the Oldest Great Lakes Lighthouse

For all its many Midwestern charms, Ohio is not exactly known for having scenic beaches. However, Ohio’s northern border does lie along the southern shores of Lake Erie. Here, you can find plenty of lovely lakeside towns and attractions that rival those of Michigan or Wisconsin. For example, tucked away in Ohio’s northeastern corner is the hidden Lake Erie town of Conneaut, a cozy community with serene beach beauty. Alternatively, one of the loveliest villages on Ohio’s Lake Erie shore lies a bit further west. Between the cities of Cleveland and Toledo is the scenic and historical community of Marblehead. 

The village of Marblehead sits at the edge of the eponymous Marblehead Peninsula, which juts eastward from mainland Ohio and separates Sandusky Bay from Lake Erie. Though the village is relatively small, its prominent geographical location has made it an important player in the history of Great Lakes navigation. Much of this history is still evident in Marblehead today, including one of the oldest and most beautiful lighthouses on the Great Lakes. And while Marblehead is a charming place to stop all on its own, it also sits in the epicenter of some of the best attractions and destinations on Ohio’s Lake Erie shores. 

Marblehead’s prime location on a small and cozy lakeside peninsula provides it with ample scenic viewpoints and lovely alcoves to explore. Undoubtedly, the historic Marblehead Lighthouse is the centerpiece of Marblehead’s enchanting maritime character. Constructed in 1822, the Marblehead Lighthouse is the oldest continually operating lighthouse on all of America’s Great Lakes. Since its operations began, the lighthouse has had 15 different lighthouse keepers — two of whom were women! Though automation in 1958 has removed the need for a human keeper, the lighthouse is still a Lake Erie landmark to this day, while also being one of the lake’s most photographed scenes. 

Marblehead Lighthouse is the central feature of the lovely Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, a superb spot for a stroll, a lakeside picnic, or a photography tour of the shores of Lake Erie. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you can even book a lighthouse tour for $3 per person and climb to the top of the lighthouse itself! The Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society also manages several other related historical sites near the lighthouse, including the lighthouse keeper’s home, a Coast Guard Lifesaving Station Museum, and an exhibit on Marblehead’s history of limestone quarrying. 

You can also explore Marblehead’s lovely natural scenery at East Harbor State Park, Meadowbrook Marsh, the Great Egret Marsh Preserve, and the Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve, all of which protect the Marblehead Peninsula’s complex coastal ecosystem (with excellent birdwatching opportunities!). Civil War buffs can visit the nearby Johnson’s Island, which housed a prisoner-of-war camp for captured Confederate officers and retains its original POW cemetery courtesy of the Johnson’s Island Preservation Society.