When Turtle Island fell back to federal ownership, the newly established Port of Toledo received $5,000 of federal funding from Congress to build the Turtle Island Lighthouse in 1831. At the time, the island's area was approximately 6.67 acres (2.70 ha), and the island included the lighthouse, the lighthouse keeper's residence, and a small farm. There were two keepers of the lighthouse: Ann Edson (1869–1870) and William Haynes (1875–1904).