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D e p a r t m e n t | GREAT LAKES BOATING 55
Lighthouses Of The Great Lakes
WEST SISTER ISLAND
LIGHTHOUSE
By Seth Harper
LAKE ERIE, OHIO
W
est Sister Island sits
roughly eight miles north
of Ohio and occupies
82 acres of Lake Erie.
A 55-foot-tall lighthouse
lives on this island, which was named along
with its sister islands, East Sister Island and
Middle Sister Island. Disappointingly, there's
no North or South sister island.
The black and white West Sister Island
Lighthouse was built in 1848 out of lime-
stone and brick and became automated in
1937. The lighthouse has saved numerous
ships from crashing and has acted as a refuge
for those in need. In 1916, lighthouse keeper
Chancie Fitzmorris fought a storm to rescue
five adults and a baby in a capsized yacht.
West Sister Island played a small role
in the War of 1812. Following the Battle of
Lake Erie in 1813 in which U.S. ships defeat-
ed the British, Commodore Oliver Perry's
ship was anchored near West Sister Island
where he wrote his famous letter to future
president, and current general, William
Henry Harrison. It read, "We have met the
enemy and they are ours. Two ships, two
brigs, one schooner and one sloop."
Visitors are not allowed on the island,
which currently resides under the protection
of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, but
that might be for your own good. West Sister
Island found itself featured in an episode of
Dirty Jobs called, "Vomit Island Workers."
With a large number of trees come a large
number of birds. You can work the rest out
yourself as you view the lighthouse from the
safety of the water. •
