The child watched as his grandfather sat the heavy lantern on the crate. It was an odd shape; it looked more like a cumbersome teapot than a lantern. The grandfather, Vaughn Archer, filled the lantern with crude oil and placed the two wicks into their respective spouts. The child, John Archer, took a cautious step back as his grandfather lifted the flame to the first wick.

John’s father, Bob Archer, only smiled. Vaughn and Bob had worked together as a father-son duo, having once operated Archer Pipe and Supply out of Mendon, Ohio. They had used the lantern while working on the local oil wells in the area.

This kind of lantern was patented by Jonathan Dillon of Petroleum Centre, PA, in 1870. He designed the lantern to be robust and heavy, making them less likely to explode or break. It was called “the Yellow Dog” because the two burning wicks looked like a dog’s glowing eyes in the darkness. Prior to being patented, it is believed that precursors of the Yellow Dog lit American lighthouses along the coast and were possibly even used in the whaling industry.

Young John Archer watched as the darkness around them vanished under the Yellow Dog’s light. Vaughn chuckled at the child’s expression and shared a look with his son, Bob. Their good old Yellow Dog could still be depended on, a pair of yellow eyes in the darkness.

If you would like to see the Archer Family’s Yellow Dog lantern, please stop by the Mercer County Historical Society, housed within the Riley House. It is located at 130 E. Market St. in Celina, Ohio. We are open Monday and Friday from 9-5. Admission is free.

P.S. When you visit, look closely at the lantern. You can still read Vaughn Archer’s initials on the side!