The Go Coast: Sandusky, Ohio

By Lance Warner and Kelly Kresser

The City of Sandusky, Ohio, is located on the southernmost shore of Lake Erie and is the gateway to the Lake Erie Islands. The shallow depth of the lake allows it to warm up and creates great recreational opportunities including boating, swimming and fishing. Sandusky is the home of Cedar Point Amusement Park, located on a spectacular peninsula at the mouth of Sandusky Bay. The city plays host to more than seven million visiting tourists each summer.

Sandusky’s history is very different than the city it is today. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, abundant water made Sandusky Bay a very desirable location for medium and heavy industry. Products produced in Sandusky included washing machines, boats, rubber balls, balloons, ice, paper filters, corrugated boxes, waxed paper and more. Business flourished through the first half of the 1900s.

However, their demise was complete before the year 2000. Afterwards, huge expanses of Sandusky’s shoreline, like many waterfront communities, were left with vacant buildings, many with significant contamination — direct deterrents to redevelopment.