Fort Niagara Light
historic place
In Youngstown, New York, stands the Fort Niagara Light, a historic place in Niagara County. The earliest light on the Great Lakes was established here in 1781, a beacon atop the French Castle. This guided vessels near the Niagara River's mouth. In 1823, a formal light was erected on the castle. The current octagonal tower, built of limestone and brick, was completed in 1872. Standing 61 feet tall, it housed a fourth-order Fresnel lens. The Fort Niagara Light served as a navigational aid until its deactivation in 1993. This site reflects centuries of maritime history on Lake Ontario.