Phantom Cat of Fairport Harbor Lighthouse - Fairport Harbor, Ohio

In the 1870s, the Fairport Harbor Lighthouse in Ohio was manned by Captain Joseph Babcock.  He lived there for in the keeper's quarters for a decade along with his wife Mary and children Hattie and Robbie.  However, tragedy would strike the Babcock family early on.  A family pet would console them during hardship and many say this unlikely soul still haunts the lighthouse to this day.

The original Fairport Harbor Lighthouse now the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum in Ohio

When Robbie Babcock was five years old, he became stricken with illness and passed away.  Mrs. Babcock took the loss very hard and became ill and bedridden herself.  Joseph in an attempt to cheer bright up his wife, brought on some cats which Mary became very fond of.  There was one cat in particular though that she was especially attached to which was a grey cat that stayed by her side always.

When Mary passed away, all of the cats left the lighthouse except for the grey one which was Mary's favorite.  Eventually, that cat too disappeared.  After Mary's death, Joseph left the lighthouse only to return a decade later and manned it for another ten years.  After that, his son took over for a time until 1925.

Over the years some of the trustees who look after the lighthouse which is now restored as the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum, had caught a glimpse of a cat scurrying here or there inside the keepers house.  Some claimed that the cat had taken the form of a wisp of grey smoke or haze.  There had been times where people staying in the house actually felt contact on them from unseen force that felt much like a cat jumping on them.  This ghost cat was given the name "Sentinel".

Some years later in 2001, some work was being done on the the air conditioning system in the museum.  One of the workers was working in a crawl space in the basement and stumbled upon the mummified remains of a cat.  A grey one to be exact!  Since "Sentinel" is somewhat a resident of the lighthouse, it's remains are kept on the premises and are on display in the museum for all to see.  The ghost cat's spirit will continue to live on at the Fairport Harbor Lighthouse.

The mummified remains of 'Sentinel' the ghost cat was found in the Fairport Harbor Lighthouse in 2001

For hours and location, visit the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum website: http://www.ncweb.com/org/fhlh/
To visit the ghost cat page specifically visit: http://www.ncweb.com/org/fhlh/ghostcat.htm