Originally, barges could be offloaded at the closest point to the lighthouse from Lake Erie. After one foundered in a storm and lost 6,000 bricks, the only recourse was to land on the bay-side and carry everything  to the lighthouse site.
Initially, ships were able to be unloaded at the closest point to the lighthouse from Lake Erie. Unfortunately, after one vessel was wrecked in a storm and lost 6,000 bricks, it became necessary to unload on the bay-side and manually move all cargo to the lighthouse location.