Buffalo North Breakwater South End Light
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Rayman
N 42° 52.659 W 078° 53.404
17T E 672320 N 4749387
The Buffalo North Breakwater South End Light, erected in 1903, was one of two "bottle shaped" beacons located in Buffalo Harbor.
Waymark Code: WMZ42
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 11/19/2006
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member silverquill
Views: 14

This lighthouse beacon marked the north side of the main (or north) entrance to the harbor. From what I can determine, it used to be located here.

It is constructed of boiler plate varying from 3/8" thick at the base to 1/4" thick at the neck of the bottle. The beacon is 29' high and measures 10' in diameter at the base and 27" at the top. It is distinguished by four cast iron port windows and a curved iron door. A 3/8" boiler plate dome forms the "roof" of the beacon, which is painted white. The tower originally was equipped with a 6th-order Fresnel lens. It exhibited a fixed red light for the first time on September 1, 1903. The color was produced by a "ruby chimney" placed over the oil lamp, which was equipped with a 5-day supply of fuel. Oil for the beacon was stored in the oil house at the Buffalo Main Light. The keeper of the Main Light also tended the North Breakwater South End Light. A battery operated 12 volt lamp with a 300mm green plastic lens was installed in the beacon circa 1960, when a domed roof formerly mounted over the lens was removed.

The structure was removed in 1985. It was rescued by the local Coast Guard and Buffalo Lighthouse Association and was moved next to the Buffalo Main Light. Because it is on Coast Guard property, it can not be viewed by the public up close. The closest vantage point is the opposite side of the mouth of the Buffalo River.
Street address:
Buffalo Harbor
Buffalo, NY United States
14203


County / Borough / Parish: Erie

Year listed: 1983

Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event

Periods of significance: 1900-1924

Historic function: Defense, Transportation: Coast Guard Facility, Water-Related

Current function: Defense, Transportation: Coast Guard Facility, Water-Related

Privately owned?: yes

Primary Web Site: [Web Link]

Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]

Season start / Season finish: Not listed

Hours of operation: Not listed

Secondary Website 2: Not listed

National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
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