Marblehead is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

in Ottawa County,

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, United States. The population was 903 at the 2010 census. It sits at the tip of the Marblehead Peninsula, which divides

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...

proper from

Sandusky Bay Sandusky Bay is a bay on Lake Erie in northern Ohio, formed at the mouth of the Sandusky River. It was identified as ''Lac Sandouské'' on a 1718 French map, with early variations recorded that suggest the name was derived from Native American lan ...

. Marblehead is part of the area that is referred to regionally as

Vacationland Vacationland may refer to: *An official slogan for the state of Maine * ''Vacationland'' (comedy show), a 2015 stand-up comedy show by John Hodgman * ''Vacationland'' (film), a 2006 film by Todd Verow * MV ''Vacationland'', a ferry that crossed the ...

(which includes nearby Sandusky and the

Lake Erie Islands The Lake Erie Islands are a chain of archipelagic islands in Lake Erie. They include Kelleys Island, Erie Island, Pelee Island, the Bass Islands, and several others. The majority of these islands are under the sovereignty of the State of Ohio in t ...

), due to the large number of tourists who flock to the area in the summer months. It remains a popular vacation destination due to its lake frontage, ferry service to the

, quality sport fishery, the nearby Lakeside Chautauqua, and the

Cedar Point Cedar Point is a amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Opened in 1870, it is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the U.S. behind Lake Compounce. Cedar Point is owned and op ...

amusement park. Marblehead is also home to the Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve, home to the only natural U.S. population of the Lakeside Daisy, an endangered species. Marblehead is home to the

Marblehead Lighthouse Marblehead Lighthouse in Marblehead, Ohio, United States, is the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the American side of the Great Lakes. It has guided sailors safely along the rocky shores of Marblehead Peninsula since 1822, and is ...

, the oldest continuously-operating lighthouse on the American side of the Great Lakes. The lighthouse is a part of the

Marblehead Lighthouse State Park Marblehead Lighthouse in Marblehead, Ohio, United States, is the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the American side of the Great Lakes. It has guided sailors safely along the rocky shores of Marblehead Peninsula since 1822, and is an ...

located within the village. Marblehead is also home to a

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...

station. Nearby, in Sandusky Bay, is

Johnson's Island Johnson's Island is a island in Sandusky Bay, located on the coast of Lake Erie, from the city of Sandusky, Ohio. It was the site of a prisoner-of-war camp for Confederate officers captured during the American Civil War. Initially, Johnson ...

, a former

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

officer

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...

camp during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. Marblehead is also commercially important as a major

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

producer. The limestone is mined in nearby quarries and transported by conveyor belt to the Marblehead loading dock, where it is loaded on commercial

lake freighter Lake freighters, or lakers, are bulk carrier vessels that operate on the Great Lakes of North America. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships. Since the late 19th century, lakers have carried bulk cargoes of m ...

s. The blocks of stone used to construct the

Stannard Rock Light The Stannard Rock Light, completed in 1883, is a lighthouse located on a reef that was the most serious hazard to navigation on Lake Superior. The exposed crib of the Stannard Rock Light is rated as one of the top ten engineering feats in the ...

Lake Superior Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...

were cut at Marblehead and hauled to the site from 1877 to 1881.Oleszewski, Wes(1999), ''Lighthouse Adventures: Heroes, haunts, & havoc on the Great Lakes'', pp. 21 - 37, Avery Color Studios, Inc, Gwinn, Michigan, USA,

Geography

Marblehead is located at . According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

Marblehead, as with much of the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

region, has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''Dfa''), characterized by four distinct seasons.

moderates the climate, especially in late spring and fall, when air and water temperature differences are maximal. Fall temperatures tend to be warmer than the inland areas, while spring temperatures tend to be cooler than inland areas. However, this effect is lessened in the winter because Lake Erie (unlike the other Great Lakes) usually freezes over, coupled with prevailing winds that are often westerly. The warmest month of the year is July, with an average temperature of 73.2 °F (22.9 °C). January has the lowest average temperature of the year of 24.6 °F (-4.1 °C). The driest month is February, with 1.7 inches (44 mm) of precipitation. With an average of 3.7 inches (94 mm), the most precipitation falls in June.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 903 people, 417 households, and 285 families living in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 942 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.2%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.1% Native American, 0.3%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.1% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 1.7% of the population. There were 417 households, of which 18.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 4.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.7% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.57. The median age in the village was 55.7 years. 15.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 13.5% were from 25 to 44; 37.3% were from 45 to 64; and 28.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 762 people, 332 households, and 239 families living in the village. The

was 268.9 people per square mile (104.0/km²). There were 973 housing units at an average density of 343.3 per square mile (132.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.90%

, 0.26%

, 0.26% Native American, 0.26%

, 0.66% from

, and 0.66% from two or more races.

of any race were 1.44% of the population. There were 332 households, out of which 18.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were

living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.68. In the village, the population was spread out, with 16.9% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 19.3% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males. The median income for a household in the village was $46,528, and the median income for a family was $52,250. Males had a median income of $39,688 versus $24,545 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the village was $26,184. About 3.0% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Marblehead's economy benefits from its lakefront situation, with its fishing, boating, and recreational tourism industries providing employment opportunities for many locals. Marblehead and surrounding attractions in Ottawa and Erie County are collectively known to visitors as "Vacationland," or more recently, Lake Erie's "Shores and Islands." The regional tourist economy is anchored by attractions like

Put-in-Bay Put-in-Bay is a village located on South Bass Island in Put-in-Bay Township, Ottawa County, Ohio, United States, east of Toledo. The population was 154 at the 2020 census. The village is a popular summer resort and recreational destinati ...

, and

Kelleys Island Kelleys Island is both a village in Erie County, Ohio, and the island which it fully occupies in Lake Erie. The British originally called it Sandusky Island. Later the United States took it over and officially designated it as Island Number 6 ...

. Marblehead is the primary mainland port of the Kelleys Island Ferry Boat Line, the main passenger and vehicle ferry to Kelleys Island. Nearby Lakeside Chautauqua and Bay Point Resort serve as lakefront destinations as well. Marblehead contains many summer and second homes that residents of nearby Toledo, Cleveland, and Columbus visit during the tourist season. Quarrying is also a large part of Marblehead's economy as it is a major

producer in the region. Lafarge Quarry, located in the interior of the peninsula, mines and transports quarries via the Marblehead loading dock.

Education

Marblehead, in addition to neighboring Danbury Township, is served by the Danbury Local School District. It operates one elementary school (Danbury Elementary), one middle school (Danbury Middle), and one high school ( Danbury High). Marblehead also contains the Marblehead Peninsula Branch of the Ida Rupp Public Library System.

Media

Marblehead is part of the Sandusky/

radio market and is included as part of the Toledo TV market. Some Canadian radio stations, such as 89X in Windsor, can be received in Marblehead. Marblehead is served by radio by WPCR - PortClintonRadio.com, "Ottawa County's News, Sports, and Weather Authority." This internet exclusive radio station carries live local sporting events, weather, and fishing reports as well as locally produced programs. Marblehead is served in print by ''The Beacon'' and the ''Port Clinton News-Herald'', which serve Ottawa County. The village is also covered by the ''

Sandusky Register The ''Sandusky Register'' is a daily newspaper serving Sandusky, Ohio, as well as nearby Port Clinton and the Lake Erie Islands (collectively known regionally as Vacationland). History The ''Sandusky Register'' has been in production since 18 ...

'', which is the region's largest newspaper.

References

External links

Village Website
{{authority control Villages in Ottawa County, Ohio Villages in Ohio Ohio populated places on Lake Erie