Lighthouse in Barker may be best one on south shore

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse in Barker, located just west of the Orleans County line, was built in 1875 from limestone. The state acquired it in 1962 and turned it into the Golden Hill State Park.

Photo by Tom Rivers

BARKER – It’s just across the Orleans County line and I think the lighthouse in Barker may be the best one on the south shore of Lake Ontario.

I haven’t scouted out all of these structures but from the pictures I’ve seen some of these sites have fallen into disrepair. Some of them have standalone towers that lack the shock and awe of when the lighthouse and tower are blended into one big structure. That’s the case in Barker with a 70-foot-high lighthouse constructed in 1875.

I wish the powers-that-be had picked Medina sandstone for the lighthouse. But the limestone has proven durable and a good choice.

You may wonder if any of the lighthouses are made of Medina sandstone. I believe there is only one and it’s close by at Charlotte in Rochester. I will have a feature on that site in an upcoming installment in the Sandstone Heritage series.

The Barker lighthouse has been well-maintained by the state. It wasn’t open for a tour when I stopped by this evening. The grounds are well kept. I’m glad the state acquired the site in 1962 and didn’t let this place fall apart. Building a state park as part of the site was also a wise move.

The lighthouse is called Thirty Mile Point because it’s 30 miles east of the mouth of the Niagara River. I would encourage you to stop by and take a look.

For more information, click here to be directed to the state site about Golden Hill State Park.