MT. NEBO (SWVO) – Even without a coastline, West Virginia lays claim to a lighthouse all its own—towering 104 feet above Summersville Lake and offering panoramic views of the Gauley Ridge National Recreation Area.
Built from repurposed wind turbine materials, the Summersville Lake Lighthouse rises to a top elevation of 2,164 feet above sea level.
According to West Virginia Tourism, the half-inch thick steel tower weighs in at 77,000 pounds, with a base diameter of 12 feet that narrows to eight feet at the top.
Those who climb the 122-step spiral staircase to the gallery deck are treated to a breathtaking 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape.
The lighthouse came to be in 2009 thanks to a mix of humor and happenstance.
Steve and Donna Keblesh, owners of the Summersville Lake Retreat, jokingly told a guest—Rick Butler, who was helping construct wind towers at the Beech Ridge Wind Farm—that they’d take one off his hands and turn it into a lighthouse.
Surprisingly, Butler said a damaged but usable turbine section was available.
What started as a joke soon became a community-powered reality.
Local contractors and engineers helped transport and erect the tower in October 2012. Students and instructors from Fayette Institute of Technology and Nicholas County Career & Technical Center built the lamp room, widow’s walk, and interior staircase.
The finishing touch—a vintage Westinghouse rotational beacon donated by Rader Airfield—was restored by a local electrician. The beacon’s beam can be seen from 30 miles away.
More than 2,000 people gathered for the official lighting ceremony on June 20, 2013—West Virginia’s 150th birthday.
Since then, the lighthouse has become a local landmark and hub for seasonal events like the Summersville Lake Lighthouse Festival and Car Show each August, and CarnEvil Haunted Hayrides in October.
The Summersville Lake Lighthouse is open daily from April through October and available by reservation from November through March.
Tours are offered in daylight and evening hours, weather permitting, with special sunset and full-moon viewings. On the Fourth of July, visitors can even watch fireworks from the top.
Summersville Lake Retreat also offers deluxe cabins, RV and tent camping, and watercraft rentals including pontoons, canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards.
To see video of the lighthouse, click here.
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