The Seaway Trail Lighthouses Trivia

Q: What is the Seaway Trail?

A: A scenic driving route along the St. Lawrence River (Seaway), Lake Ontario, Niagara River, and Lake Erie; designated as one of “America’s Byways” for great American road trips

Q: How many lighthouses are there on the Seaway Trail?

A: 25 in New York, 3 in Pennsylvania

Q: Which was the first “unofficial” lighthouse on the Seaway Trail?

A: In 1781-82, a light on the roof of the “French Castle” at Fort Niagara in Youngstown, where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, was likely fueled by whale oil; this light was built in response to increased military and commercial water traffic sparked by the Revolutionary War

Q: Which is the first “official” lighthouse on the Seaway Trail?

A: Buffalo, NY, and Presque Isle, PA, claim the first “official” light, both built circa 1818

Q: Are any of the other lights noted as “firsts”?

A: Barcelona Lighthouse on Lake Erie inaugurated the nation’s “Gaslight Era” in 1831
as the first public building to be illuminated by natural gas

Q: What are the styles of architecture of the lighthouse son the Trail?

A: Limestone, stucco, sandstone, and brick; Dunkirk Lighthouse is High Victorian Gothic; Braddock Point and Charlotte-Genesee Lights have octagonal towers; Selkirk Lighthouse has one of only four birdcage-style lanternrooms in the U.S.; Rock Island Lighthouse’s Shingle- style keeper’s house is one of six lighthouse complex buildings dating to 1847-1882

Q: Can you stay overnight at any of the lights on the Seaway Trail?

A: Yes, although lighthouses rarely offer overnight accommodations, the Seaway Trail has three lights available to overnight travelers: Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse at Golden Hill State Park, Barker, NY, on Lake Ontario; Selkirk Lighthouse at the mouth of the Salmon River on Lake Ontario, Port Ontario, NY; and Tibbetts Point Lighthouse Hostel at the mouth at the confluence of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario, Cape Vincent, NY

Q: Who promotes these lighthouses?

A: The nonprofit Seaway Trail, Inc., based at the Seaway Trail Discovery Center in Sackets Harbor, NY, promotes this fine collection of lighthouses through a Seaway Trail Lighthouses guidebook and video, through its annual free Journey Magazine, through travel packages and Elderhostel programs

Q: How can I learn more?

A: Call toll-free 1-800-SEAWAY-T or visit www.seawaytrail.com on the web

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