68-year-old Sheila Consaul bought Ohio lighthouse for $71,010 in 2011, restored it for over $300K

Sheila Consaul transformed Ohio’s abandoned Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse into a unique off-grid summer home. At 68, Sheila Consaul owns one of America’s most unusual homes, a century-old lighthouse standing in Lake Erie. During a conversation with Tiny House Giant Journey, she opened up about how she went from building a career in Washington, DC, to buying the Fairport Harbor West Lighthouse in Ohio for $71,010 at auction in 2011 and spending more than $300,000 restoring it.What began as an unusual idea for a vacation home eventually became a 15-year restoration project, with Consaul investing more than $300,000 in the property and turning it into a largely off-grid residence while preserving its historic character.Why Sheila Consaul decided to buy a lighthouseBefore taking on the lighthouse, Consaul had already restored a historic home, which helped fuel her fascination with old buildings and restoration. While working in Washington, DC, she began looking for a summer home that was historic, unusual and located on the water.The idea of buying a lighthouse sounded fascinating to her after she learned that the federal government was auctioning off historic lighthouses.In 2009, th...