Maryland Lighthouses

Northern Chesapeake Bay Lighthouses
** Concord Point

1827 (John Donahoo). Inactive since 1975 (a decorative continuous white light is displayed). 32 ft (10 m) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, 5th order Fresnel lens (1892). Tower painted white, lantern black. C.W. Bash's photo appears above, Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse, Bill Britten has a page with a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Lighthouse Digest has a February 2003 article on the history of the light station, and Google has a good satellite view. The 2-1/2 story brick and stone keeper's house, known as the O'Neill House, was restored in 1999-2000 and has been opened as a museum. Friends of Concord Point Lighthouse works for restoration and maintenance of the light station. Hurricane Isabel flooded the light station and destroyed the town's waterfront boardwalk in September 2003, but this damage was repaired. Located at Concord and Lafayette Streets in Concord Point Park, on the west side of the mouth of the Susquehanna River, in Havre de Grace. Site open, museum and tower open Saturday and Sunday afternoons April through October; group tours by appointment. Owner/site manager: City of Havre de Grace. ARLHS USA-186.

Fishing Battery 1853 (John Donahoo). Inactive since 1921. Ruined 2-story brick keeper's house with lantern and gallery on the roof. The house was originally painted white. The light was moved to a square skeletal tower in 1921, where it was tended by the keepers until automated in 1939. The skeletal tower is an active light (focal plane 38 ft (11.5 m); flash every 6 s, white or red depending on direction). Marinas.com has aerial photos. Gravely endangered by neglect, the lighthouse is on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. In the summer of 2004 Wayne Frady, of Port Deposit, Maryland, took on single-handed the task of saving this lighthouse. He painted the building, did some roof repairs, and started work on a stone seawall to slow erosion of the island -- paying for all the materials from his own pocket. We need current information on this admirable effort. Located on a tiny island in the Chesapeake about 3 mi (5 km) south of Havre de Grace. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge). ARLHS USA-287; Admiralty J2368; USCG 2-27630. ** Turkey Point 1833 (John Donahoo). Reactivated (inactive 2000-2002, now privately maintained); focal plane 129 ft (39 m); white flash every 6 s. 38 ft (11.5 m) round old-style brick tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern black. David Hsu's photo is at right, Greg Jansky has posted a photo with some hiking directions, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The keeper's house was demolished in 1971, but preservationists are raising funds to rebuild it. Oil house preserved. In 2000, the Coast Guard deactivated the light and leased the lighthouse and oil house to the preservation group. Electricity was brought to the point and the light was relit November 30, 2002. Chesapeake Chapter has posted a portfolio of photos of the restoration. In 2004 the lighthouse became available under NHLPA, and in 2006 the property was transferred to the State of Maryland, which renewed the lease of the light station to the preservation group. Located on a 100 ft (30 m) bluff at the end of Elk Neck in Elk Neck State Park. Accessible by hiking trail (25 minute walk one way). Site open, tower open Saturdays and Sundays late April through mid November. Owner: Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Site manager: Turkey Point Light Station, Inc. ARLHS USA-857; Admiralty J2342; USCG 2-8975. * [Bethel Bridge] 1996 (replica of pre-1927 lighthouse). Inactive. 30 ft (9 m) square wood tower with an open square lantern. Tower painted white, lantern black. This tower is a reconstruction of one of a number of lights used on the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal before its locks were eliminated in 1927. These towers were not lighthouses in the usual sense; they were traffic signals controlling the entry of vessels into the locks. Construction of the replica was sponsored by the Chesapeake City Lions Club. Located a short walk from the C&D Canal Museum, Second Street and Bethel Road, in Chesapeake City. Site open, museum open daily except Sundays, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Museum. ARLHS USA-1004.

Turkey Point Light, September 2005 Creative Commons photo by David Hsu

[Worton Point]

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 93 ft (28 m); white flash every 6 s. Light mounted on a watch tower. No further information available. Worton Point is on the Eastern Shore off MD 297 northwest of Newtown. Admiralty J2322; USCG 2-8760.

Poole's Island

1825 (John Donahoo and Simon Frieze). Inactive since 1939. 44 ft (13.5 m) old-style round granite tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern black. The keeper's house has been demolished. Kayaker Hank McComas has a view from the bay, and the shadow of the lighthouse is seen in a Google satellite view. This is the oldest Maryland lighthouse and the first of Donohoo's 12 lighthouses. It was abandoned when the improved channel was relocated from the west side to the east side of the island. The tower was partially restored and stabilized in 1997. There was a plan to reactivate the light after further restoration is completed. Located on the northwestern point of Poole's Island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay northwest of Tolchester Beach. Inaccessible: the island was formerly used for bombing practice and is littered with unexploded ordnance. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground. ARLHS USA-646; ex-Admiralty J2298.

Baltimore Harbor Lighthouses

**** Seven Foot Knoll 1856. Inactive since 1987. 40 ft (12 m): 1-story round cylindrical wrought iron keeper's cottage crowned by a round cylindrical lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted dark red, lantern black. A photo is at right, Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. An architectural landmark: this is the oldest surviving screwpile lighthouse in the U.S., and it is the only one of its design. Originally mounted on a screwpile foundation near the entrance to Baltimore Harbor (see below), the lighthouse was relocated in October 1988 to Pier 5 on the Inner Harbor waterfront, where it is now a familiar landmark. The building is operated by the Living Classrooms Foundation and Baltmore Maritime Museum as a museum and learning center for Baltimore schools. Located at the end of Harbor Magic Drive off Pratt Street in downtown Baltimore. Site open, tower open daily spring to fall and Friday to Sunday in winter (museum admission fee). Owner: City of Baltimore. Site manager: Baltimore Maritime Museum. ARLHS USA-750H; Admiralty J2248. **** Lightship 116 (WAL 538) Chesapeake 1930. Decommissioned 1971. 130-ton steel ship with two masts, length 133 ft (40.5 m), beam 30 ft (9 m). Hull painted red. The ship actually served as the Chesapeake, off the Virginia capes, 1933-65; it served previously and subsequently at stations off the Delaware coast. Anderson has a fine page for the lightship, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Coast Guard Historian site has the ship's service history and a collection of oral history interviews with former crew members. The vessel is leased to the City of Baltimore and maintained by the Living Classrooms Foundation. Moored next to the National Aquarium on the Baltimore waterfront. Open daily spring to fall and Friday to Sunday in winter (museum admission fee). Owner: National Park Service. Site manager: Baltimore Maritime Museum. ARLHS USA-167. * Fort McHenry Channel Range Rear Date unknown. Active; focal plane 113 ft (34.5 m); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off, day and night. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower, painted black, with a large locomotive-style lamp. Jim Davis has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the grounds of historic Fort McHenry, marking the west side of the entrance to Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: U.S. National Park Service (Fort McHenry National Monument). Admiralty J2270.1; USCG 2-8225.

Seven Foot Knoll Light, September 2007 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Lazaretto Point

1985 reproduction of an 1831 (John Donahoo) lighthouse demolished in 1929. Inactive; a decorative light is displayed. 31 ft (9.5 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, very similar to the Turkey Point Light (above). The tower is painted white and the lantern black. A good photo is available, the Coast Guard has a historic photo of the original lighthouse, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The tower was built as a memorial to Norman Rukert, Sr., who had long advocated reconstructing the lighthouse. Lazaretto Point was the site of a U.S. Lighthouse Service and (later) a U. S. Coast Guard depot from 1863 to 1958. Located on the end of a pier at the entrance to Baltimore's Northwest Harbor. Site and tower generally closed (private property), although polite visitors are sometimes allowed to photograph the tower. There's also a view from Fort McHenry across the Northwest Harbor entrance. Owner/site manager: Rukert Terminals Corporation. ARLHS USA-431.

* Fort Carroll (2)

1898 (station established 1854). Inactive since 1931. Ruined square cylindrical wood tower with lantern. The tower was originally painted white, and the lantern black. Anderson has good photos on his page, David Palmer has a 2008 photo, Lighthouse Explorer Database has a photo on its page for the lighthouse, Phil Payette has a web site for the fort including a photo of the lighthouse, Gene Carl Feldman has a page with a full report on the ruins and many photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Obviously endangered, the lighthouse is on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. Designed and built by Robert E. Lee in the late 1840s, the fort was abandoned by the Army in 1920. The fort has been privately owned since 1958. In October 2000 a developer leased the island; no purpose has yet been announced. The fort has become an important nesting site for herons and other water birds. Located on a small island in the Patapsco River in Baltimore Harbor, just southeast of the Francis Scott Key Bridge (I-695). Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Struever Bros., Eccles & Rouse, Inc. ARLHS USA-290.

* Brewerton Channel Range Rear (Hawkins Point Range Rear (2)

1924 (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 82 ft (25 m); continuous green light, day and night. Approx. 70 ft (21 m) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted black; locomotive style lamp. Google has a satellite view. In 1899 Hawkins Point became part of the U.S. Coast Guard's Curtis Bay Yard, a shipbuilding and repair facility. This yard continues in operation (it is the Coast Guard's only ship repair facility), but the portion of it including the light station was declared surplus in 1956 and became the site of a gypsum wallboard plant. Located on Quarantine Road on Hawkins Point, 1.1 mi (1760 m) west northwest of the front light (next entry). Site and tower closed, but the light can be seen easily from the road. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: USG Corporation.

* Brewerton Channel Range Front (Hawkins Point Range Front) (2)

1924 (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 38 ft (11.5 m); continuous green light, day and night. 38 ft (11.5 m) square pyramidal skeletal tower mounted on an octagonal screwpile foundation. Google has a satellite view. This range light was formerly exhibited from the Hawkins Point Light, a cottage screwpile lighthouse. When the lighthouse was demolished, the skeletal tower was built on the screwpile foundation to carry the range light. Located just offshore from Fort Armistead Park, at the end of Glidden Road under the south end of the Francis Scott Key Bridge (I-695). Accessible only by boat, but there is a closeup view from shore. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-083; Admiralty J2251; USCG 2-8150.

Craighill Channel Upper Range Rear (Cutoff Channel Range Rear)

1886. Active; focal plane 74 ft (22.5 m); continuous red light, day and night. 90 ft (27.5 m) square cylindrical cast iron tower with square pyramidal skeletal bracing. Entire lighthouse painted white. The keeper's house has been demolished. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Wharf Road on the west side of Old Road Bay in Sparrows Point, on property owned by a steel mill. Site and tower closed; there's a good view from the west end of Bay Front Road. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Mittal Steel USA (Sparrows Point). ARLHS USA-201; Admiralty J2252.1; USCG 2-8095.

* Craighill Channel Upper Range Front (Cutoff Channel Range Front, Fort Howard, North Point) 1886. Active; focal plane 15 ft (4.5 m); continuous red light, day and night. 18 ft (5.5 m) octagonal cylindrical cast iron tower on stone foundation, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Matt Tillett's photo is at right, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The foundation was built for the former North Point Range Rear Light (established 1823). Keepers actually lived in this tiny lighthouse from 1893 until it was automated in 1929. Located just off North Point in Fort Howard. Accessible only by boat, but there are excellent views from the former Fort Howard VA Medical Center, now a retirement community called Bayside at Fort Howard. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-200; Admiralty J2252; USCG 2-8090. Craighill Channel Lower Range Rear (Millers Island) 1873. Active; focal plane 105 ft (32 m); continuous white light, day and night. 105 ft (32 m) square cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern, double gallery, and square central cylinder; the original 4° Fresnel range lens is still in use. Lower half of the tower is painted white, upper half red, lantern black. The keeper's quarters, formerly incorporated in the lower part of the tower, were removed in 1938. A closeup photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a good satellite view. The tallest Maryland lighthouse, this unusual light doesn't get the attention it deserves. Endangered: the lighthouse is reported to be in poor condition. Historical Place Preservation, which now owns the front lighthouse, will apply for this one also if it becomes available under NHLPA. Located in the Chesapeake Bay just east of Ramona Beach about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Fort Howard. Accessible only by boat. There are views from Ramona Beach or from North Point State Park. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-199; Admiralty J2246.1; USCG 2-8050.

Craighill Upper Range Front Light, September 2006 Creative Commons photo by Matt Tillett

Craighill Channel Lower Range Front ("Craighill Light," North Point Range)

1873. Active; range light at focal plane 22 ft (7 m): white flash every 3s, day and night; tower also carries a passing light at focal plane 39 ft (12 m): white flash every 3 s, red sector covering nearby shoal). 42 ft (13 m) round cast iron sparkplug tower with lantern and upper and lower galleries, mounted on a concrete caisson; 250 mm lens. Lighthouse painted dark red with white trim, lantern black. This is the the second oldest caisson lighthouse in the nation and the second oldest sparkplug tower; its design, with a single-story keeper's quarters, is unique. The Coast Guard has a fine historic photo, Anderson has good closeup photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. In 2006, the lighthouse was transferred under NHLPA to a new preservation group, Historical Place Preservation. The groups hopes to restore both lower range lights. So far, its efforts have been limited to emergency repairs and the design of a dock to allow regular access to the structure. Located south of the harbor entrance about 2 miles (3 km) east southeast of North Point. Accessible only by boat. There's a distant view from North Point State Park. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Historical Place Preservation. ARLHS USA-198; Admiralty J2246; USCG 2-8040 and 8045.

Seven Foot Knoll (2)

1987 (station established 1856). Active; focal plane 58 ft (17 m); flash every 6 s, white or red depending on direction. 16 m (52 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower, mounted on a round concrete platform supported by a single robust pile. A second platform carries solar panels, and the foundation ruins of the original screwpile lighthouse can be seen next to the tower. Capt. Peter Mosselberger has a 2009 photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The historic lighthouse was relocated in 1988 to downtown Baltimore (see above). Located on a shoal in the entrance to Baltimore Harbor, about 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast of Bodkin Point. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-750H; Admiralty J2248; USCG 2-8120.

Baltimore

1908 (William H. Flaherty). Active; focal plane 52 ft (16 m); white flash every 2.5 s (red sector covers nearby shoals). 38 ft (11.5 m) octagonal 3-story brick keeper's house, with a lantern and gallery centered on the roof, mounted on an iron caisson; 300 mm lens. Lighthouse painted white, roof and lantern black; caisson is red. Sibling of Point No Point (see below). Anderson has a very fine page with a good photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Another rather neglected lighthouse, this station has interesting late Victorian architecture and a caisson that reaches 82 feet (25 m) below the waterline. It was the last traditional lighthouse to be built on the Chesapeake Bay. In 2003-04 it was offered for transfer under NHLPA, but no applications for ownership were received. In 2006 the lighthouse was sold on eBay for $260,000. The buyer is a partnership of four couples, who have begun working to restore the building. Located off Gibson Island in the Chesapeake southeast of Baltimore Harbor. Accessible only by boat; best seen from cruises from Annapolis. Site open, tower open to group tours (reservations required). Owner/site manager: Baltimore Harbor Light. ARLHS USA-034; Admiralty J2228; USCG 2-8035.

Eastern Shore Lighthouses
Love Point (2)

1964 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 35 ft (10.5 m); white flash every 6 s (red sector covers nearby shoals). Approx. 25 ft (7.5 m) steel skeletal tower, mounted on a square platform supported by piles. No current photo available, but Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The original hexagonal cottage screwpile lighthouse was demolished in 1964. Located about 1.25 miles (2 km) northeast of Love Point, Kent Island, in the mouth of the Chester River. Should be visible from the end of MD 18. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-455; Admiralty J2218; USCG 2-8340.

Bloody Point Bar ("The Coffee Pot") 1882. Active; focal plane 54 ft (16.5 m); white flash every 6 s (2 red sectors cover nearby shoals). 40 ft (12 m) round cast iron sparkplug tower, including keeper's quarters, mounted on an iron caisson; 300 mm lens. Lighthouse and caisson painted gray. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s) operates continuously Sept. 15 through June 1. A closeup photo is at right, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The interior of the lighthouse was gutted by fire in 1960. Endangered: the lighthouse was repaired in 1988 but needs thorough restoration, and the tower has a slight lean. In September 2006, the U.S. General Services Administration placed the building for sale in an online auction, and in December it was sold for $100,000 to Michael Gabriel, a Nevada lawyer. Gabriel, who also owns the Fourteen Foot Bank Light in Delaware and the Borden Flats Light in Massachusetts, intends to renovate the lighthouse, but no work has been scheduled yet. Located in the Chesapeake off the south end of Kent Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-063; Admiralty J2186; USCG 2-7750. **** Hooper Strait (2) 1879 (station established 1867). Reactivated (inactive 1966-1967, now privately maintained and unofficial); focal plane 41 ft (12.5 m); the light flashes the Morse code for CBMM, the initials of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Screwpile lighthouse with octagonal keeper's house; 4th order Fresnel lens (1867) on display. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Tiffany Bridges's photo appears at the top of this page, Anderson has a great page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse Digest has a 2001 feature article on the lighthouse and museum. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Originally located in Tangier Sound, the lighthouse replaced an 1867 screwpile lighthouse destroyed by ice in 1877. The lighthouse was relocated in 1966 some 40 miles (65 km) north to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michael's. Fully restored. The 1889 square cylindrical wood bell tower from Point Lookout Light is also on display. In 2004 the lighthouse was opened for family weekend stays.Located on the waterfront in St. Michael's. Site and tower open (museum admission fee). Owner/site manager: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. ARLHS USA-378H; ex-Admiralty J2030.

Bloody Point Bar Light, August 2008 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Sharps Island (3)

1882 (station established 1838). Active; focal plane 54 ft (16.5 m); white flash every 6 s (red sector covers nearby shoals). 40 ft (12 m) round cast iron sparkplug tower, including keeper's quarters, mounted on an iron caisson; 250 mm lens (1977). Lighthouse and caisson painted dark red. A 2007 photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Sibling of Bloody Point Bar. The original lighthouse (1838) was built on land, but the island has completely eroded away. Endangered: ice in the winter of 1976-77 pushed the tower over at a 15° angle. Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. In 2006 the lighthouse became available for transfer or sale under NHLPA. The National Park Service is considering an application, but we do not know what group has requested the lighthouse. Located 4 miles (6.5 km) off the southwestern tip of Tilghman Island (visible from the end of MD 33). Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-751; Admiralty J2112; USCG 2-7690.

Choptank River (3)

1964 (station established 1871). Active; focal plane 35 ft (11 m); white flash every 4 s. Skeletal tower on a screwpile platform. No current photo available, but Google has an indistinct satellite view. The original lighthouse, a cottage screwpile, was destroyed by ice in 1917. It was replaced in 1920 by another cottage screwpile, an 1858 model relocated from Cherrystone Bar VA. Located in the river southwest of Oxford. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-984; Admiralty J2115; USCG 2-24915.

* [Choptank River (2) replica]

Replica of 1858 lighthouse, under construction in 2007. This replica of the second Choptank River lighthouse, the one relocated from Cherrystone Bar VA, is to be built on Long Wharf at Cambridge by the Choptank River Lighthouse Committee. However, an August 2007 photo does not show any construction in progress. ARLHS member Jim Elliott (KA3UNQ) reports that fundraising for this project is continuing.

Hooper Island 1902. Active; focal plane 63 ft (19 m); white flash every 6 s. 35 ft (10.5 m) round cast iron sparkplug tower, including keeper's quarters, mounted on an iron caisson. A 300 mm lens was installed in 1976 after the original 4° Fresnel lens was stolen from the tower. Lighthouse painted white, lantern and watch room black; caisson is red. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s) operates continuously Sept. 15 through June 1. Craig Bruces' photo is at right, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. In 2006 the lighthouse became available for transfer or sale under NHLPA. Dorchester County and the Chesapeake Chapter applied for ownership, and in early 2008 the National Park Service recommended a transfer to the Chapter. Located in the Chesapeake about 4 miles (6.5 km) west of Middle Hooper Island. Accessible only by boat. There are distant views from many points near Hoopersville. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-377; Admiralty J2080; USCG 2-7590. Sharkfin Shoal (2) 1964 (station established 1892). Active; focal plane 44 ft (13.5 m); white flash every 6 s; red sector covering nearby shoals. Square cylindrical skeletal tower centered on the hexagonal screwpile platform of the original screwpile lighthouse, which was demolished in 1964. A good photo is available, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located two miles (3 km) southwest of Clay Island off the entrance to the Wicomico River. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-985; Admiralty J2028; USCG 2-23590. Holland Island Bar (2) 1960 (station established 1889). Active; focal plane 37 ft (11 m); white flash every 2.5 s. 37 ft (11 m) square skeletal tower mounted on a square 1-story equipment shelter, all mounted on a hexagonal screwpile foundation. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s) operates continuously Sept. 15 through June 1. Jim Davis has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a fairly good satellite view. The original lighthouse, another cottage screwpile, was demolished after being bombed accidentally by the Navy in 1957. Located in the Chesapeake Bay west of Holland Island, north of the Smith Island complex. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-986; Admiralty J1978; USCG 2-7545. Solomon's Lump (2) 1895 (William H. Flaherty) (station established 1875). Active; focal plane 47 ft (14 m); white flash every 6 s; two narrow red sectors cover nearby shoals. 35 ft (10.5 m) square cylindrical brick tower mounted to one side of an iron caisson; solar-powered 200 mm lens (1950). Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. The keeper's house, formerly attached to the light tower, was demolished in 1950. Jim Davis has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse replaced a screwpile lighthouse destroyed by ice in 1893. Located in Kedges Strait off the north end of the Smith Island complex. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-767; Admiralty J1980; USCG 2-23475.

Hooper Island Light, September 2006 Creative Commons photo by Craig Bruce

[Somers Cove]

1867. Inactive since 1932. Another former cottage screwpile lighthouse; the square screwpile foundation remains. No current photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located in Crisfield Harbor; passenger ferries to Tangier Island pass the site. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Site manager: abandoned. ARLHS USA-987.

Janes Island (3)

1935 (station established 1867). Active; focal plane 37 ft (11 m); white flash every 4 s (red sector covering nearby shoals). Approx. 8 m (26 ft) square skeletal tower mounted on a round iron caisson. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) operates continuously Sept. 15 through June 1. The 1867 and 1879 cottage screwpile lighthouses at this station were both destroyed by ice. Located in Tangier Sound off the mouth of the Little Annemessex River near Crisfield. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-988; USCG 2-22815.

Western Shore Lighthouses

Sandy Point Shoal 1883. Active; focal plane 51 ft (15.5 m); white flash every 6 s. 37 ft (11 m) octagonal 3-story Empire style brick keeper's house mounted on an iron caisson and surmounted by a short lantern; solar-powered 300 mm lens. Lighthouse painted bright red with a white roof; lantern is black, caisson dark red. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s) operates continuously Sept. 15 through June 1. The original 4° Fresnel lens was smashed by vandals in 1980. Kate Elliott's photo is at right, Jonathan Sullivan has a nice photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse has a unique design. It was repaired by the Coast Guard in 1988-90 but in is need of thorough restoration. In 2004 it was offered for transfer under NHLPA, but no applications for ownership were received. In 2006 the lighthouse was sold at auction, but the buyer's name is unknown. Located in the Chesapeake on the north side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (US 50). Accessible only by boat; best seen from cruises from Annapolis. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-733; Admiralty J2214; USCG 2-7990. * Sharps Point 1993. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 58 ft (17.5 m); white flash every 10 s. Replica of a cottage screwpile lighthouse (similar to Thomas Point Shoal Light), painted white with a red roof, attached to 2-story slate-roofed house, also painted white. Google has a satellite view. Both buildings are used as a bed and breakfast inn. Located at the end of Sharps Point Road east of Annapolis. Owner/site manager: Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast. ARLHS USA-924; USCG 2-20067. Greenbury Point Shoal 1891. Active; focal plane 40 ft (12 m); white flash every 4 s. The lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage screwpile, was replaced in 1934 by a square pyramidal steel skeletal tower built on the original screwpile foundation. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the hexagonal platform is seen clearly in a Google satellite view. Located in the mouth of the Severn River marking the entrance to Annapolis Harbor. Visible from the U.S. Naval Academy campus and many other places on the Annapolis waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-354; Admiralty J2209; USCG 2-19725. * [Triton] 1960s. Active (maintained by U.S. Navy); focal plane 25 ft (7.5 m); 9 green flashes every 30 s, the flashes grouped in a unique 4+5 pattern. The light is displayed atop a triangular cylindrical ornamental pedestal on a concrete base. Jim Davis has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. This light honors the U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine Triton, which circled the globe submerged in 1960. Located on the point of land at the eastern end of the Naval Academy campus, where Spa Creek joins the Severn River. Site open. Owner/site manager: U.S. Naval Academy. Admiralty J2210; USCG 2-19780.

Sandy Point Shoal Light, August 2006 Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the background Creative Commons photo by Kate Elliott

** Thomas Point Shoal

1875. Active; focal plane 43 ft (13 m); white flash every 5 s (2 red sectors cover nearby shoals). 48 ft (15 m) cottage screwpile lighthouse with hexagonal 1-1/2-story wood keeper's cottage with lantern and gallery centered on the roof; solar-powered 250 mm lens. Lighthouse painted white with a red roof; lantern is black. Fog horn (2 s blast every 15 s). The original 4th order Fresnel lens is displayed at the Coast Guard district headquarters in Baltimore. The lighthouse carries a NOAA C-MAN automatic weather station. An April 2008 photo is available, Anderson has a fine page with many photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is one of the best known Chesapeake lighthouses and one of only two cottage screwpile lighthouses in the nation still on their original stations. The lighthouse was saved from demolition by public protests in 1972. The last lighthouse on the Chesapeake to be automated (1986), it is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. In 2000, volunteers from the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society replaced the modern windows with historically accurate windows. On 1 May 2004, a consortium including the U.S. Lighthouse Society, the City of Annapolis and the Annapolis Maritime Museum took ownership of the lighthouse under NHLPA. Tours from the maritime museum began on 7 July 2007. In May 2007, the Jeld-Wen Company announced that the lighthouse would receive new doors and windows as the co-winner of a national competition. Located in the Chesapeake off the entrance to South River, south of Annapolis. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower open to guided tours from the Annapolis Maritime Museum two weekends per month, may through September (reservations required). Owner: City of Annapolis. Site manager: Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse Partnership. ARLHS USA-845; Admiralty J2204; USCG 2-7760.

*** Cove Point 1828 (John Donahoo). Active; focal plane 45 ft (14 m); white flash every 10 s. 51 ft (16 m) round cement-clad old-style brick tower with lantern and gallery, 4° Fresnel lens (1897; installed here in 1928). Lighthouse painted white, lantern and gallery black. Fog horn (2 s blast every 15 s). 2-story brick keeper's house, used as Coast Guard housing until recently, in good condition. Fog signal building (1904) with original bell. Active diaphone fog signal (1976). The first floor of the keeper's house is original; the second floor was added in 1883. C.W. Bash's photo is at right, and Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse. A historic and well-preserved light station, still manned as late as 1986. The lighthouse is endangered by beach erosion, which has been controlled so far with protective riprap; grants in 2000-01 helped improve and repair the barrier. Marinas.com aerial photos and a Google satellite view show the situation well. Calvert County received title from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2000; the Calvert Marine Museum opened the base of the tower for tours in May 2001. A 2001 grant from the Maryland Historical Trust supported removal of lead-based paint from the interior. In 2008, another state grant funded a restoration of the tower. Located at the end of MD 497 in Cove Point. The site is in a private community and is generally closed; it is open during the afternoon daily during June through August and on weekends and holidays in May and September; only the base of the tower is open. Owner: Calvert County. Site manager: Calvert Marine Museum. ARLHS USA-195; Admiralty J2104; USCG 2-7630.

Cove Point Light, July 2006 Creative Commons photo copyright C.W. Bash

**** Drum Point

1883. Inactive since 1962. 47 ft (14 m) cottage screwpile lighthouse with octagonal 1-story keeper's house; lantern and gallery centered on the roof. The original 4° Fresnel lens is on display. Building painted white, lantern and gallery black; roof is red. Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Sibling of Hooper Strait. After suffering badly from vandalism, the lighthouse was relocated in 1975 a few miles west to the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons. The museum has completely restored the lighthouse and furnished it with period antiques. The wood railings and some walkways were replaced in 2000. The museum is on Solomons Island Road (MD 2) just south of Lore Road. Site and tower open daily (museum admission fee). Owner/site manager: Calvert Marine Museum. ARLHS USA-235H; ex-Admiralty J2086.

[Cedar Point (lantern)]

1896. Inactive since 1928. The lighthouse, originally located on a tiny island off Cedar Point at the southern entrance to Patuxent River, was on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List until it was finally demolished in 1996. The Chesapeake Chapter has a photo of the sad condition of the keeper's house before demolition. Portions of the keeper's house were donated to the Calvert Marine Museum. The lantern (removed by the Navy in 1981) is displayed on the grounds of the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum. C.W. Bash has a great photo taken in January 2007, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. In 2003, Navy Seabees volunteered to build a new one-story wood base (designed after the original light tower) on which the lantern is displayed. Located on MD 235 at Pegg Road in Lexington Park. Site open daily. Owner/site manager: Patuxent River Naval Air Museum. ARLHS USA-1020.

Point No Point

1905. Active; focal plane 52 ft (16 m); white flash every 6 s. 38 ft (11.5 m) octagonal 3-story brick keeper's house, mounted on an iron caisson and surmounted by a short lantern and gallery; 375 mm lens. Lighthouse painted white with a black roof; lantern is black, caisson red. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s) operates continuously Sept. 15 through June 1. Jim Davis has a closeup photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. In 2001 the Coast Guard replaced the roof of the lantern room and repaired deteriorated beams and floors inside the building. In 2006 the lighthouse became available for transfer or sale under NHLPA, but no applications were received. Located in the Chesapeake about 6 miles (9 km) northeast of Point Lookout. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-630; Admiralty J1974; USCG 2-7560.

** Point Lookout (1) 1830 (John Donahoo). Inactive since 1965. Square 2-story keeper's house surmounted by a short octagonal tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted buff with a red roof; light tower and lantern painted bright red. The 1889 fog bell tower is on display at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michael's, on the Eastern Shore. C.W. Bash's photo is at right, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. This is the oldest surviving integral lighthouse in the U.S. The building was substantially expanded in 1883, when the second story was added and the light tower was raised from 24 ft (7.5 m) to 41 ft (12.5 m). The lighthouse was previously endangered: after the state relinquished a lease on the building in 1980, the Navy allowed the property to deteriorate. In May 2002, the state paid $450,000 to purchase the light station to add it to Point Lookout State Park. Rehabilitation of the exterior began in October 2002. In 2006 the state acquired the land around the lighthouse in a land swap with the Navy. Located on an exceptionally narrow point of land at the end of MD 5 in Point Lookout, where the Potomac meets the Chesapeake. Parking available close to the lighthouse. Site and tower generally closed but open 10 am to 2 pm on the first Saturday of each month May through November. There's a good view from outside the fence. Owner: State of Maryland. Site manager: Point Lookout State Park. ARLHS USA-628. Point Lookout (2) 1965 (station established 1830). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower, painted white, mounted on a square platform supported by piles. Located in the mouth of the Potomac River about 1 km (0.6 mi) south of the historic lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. Admiralty J1800; USCG 2-7525.

Point Lookout Light, July 2006 Creative Commons photo by C.W. Bash

Potomac River Lighthouses

*** Piney Point

1836 (John Donahoo). Inactive since 1964. 35 ft (10.5 m) round old-style brick tower. The original 2-story stucco-clad brick keeper's house (expanded in 1884) is occupied by a caretaker. A modern Coast Guard house (1950) formerly housed a museum and gift shop. The lighthouse is called the "Lighthouse of Presidents" because the light station was used as a presidential summer retreat in the 19th century. Anderson has a good page with many photos, Maryland NewsNet has an article on the history of the light station, and Google has a satellite view. The tower was restored in 2003-04, and in 2004 the lighthouse was opened for climbing. After the station was flooded by Hurricane Isabel in 2003, the museum was relocated to a modern building on the north side of the park area and reopened in the spring of 2005. Located on the Potomac at the end of Lighthouse Road, off MD 249 in Piney Point. Site open daily, museum and tower open Friday through Monday, May through October. Accessible by road, but there is also a pier for visitors who arrive by boat. Owner: Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources. Site manager: Piney Point Lighthouse Museum. ARLHS USA-601; Admiralty J1821.

Ragged Point

1910. Active; focal plane 44 ft (13.5 m); white flash every 6 s. The lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage screwpile, was demolished in 1962. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. The current light is a steel skeletal tower built on the original foundation. No current photo available, but Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located just off the Virginia shore about 2.5 miles west of Piney Point. Visible from a marina at the end of secondary route 728 in Coles Point VA. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-685; Admiralty J1824; USCG 2-16940.

* Blackistone (Blakistone) Island (St. Clement's Island) (replica)

2008 replica of 1851 lighthouse. Inactive. Approx. 13 m (42 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery centered on the roof of a 2-1/2 story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. Sandie Finn has a good 2008 photo, and a second 2008 photo is available, Lighthouse Explorer has a photo of the original lighthouse, which was deactivated in 1932 and burned by vandals in 1956. The replica was built by St. Clement's Hundred, a nonprofit organization that preserves and administers St. Clement's Island, the site of the first English landing in Maryland. The reconstruction took two years and $800,000 in grants and contributions. The dedication of the building was held June 22, 2008. Located on St. Clement's Island in the Potomac just off Colton's Point. Water taxi service to the island is available on Saturdays and Sundays from the St. Clement's Island Museum on the mainland. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources (St. Clement's Island State Park). ARLHS USA-060.

Cobb Point Bar (Cobb Island Bar) (2)

1889. Active; focal plane 18 ft (5.5 m); green flash every 4 s. The lighthouse, a square cottage screwpile, was demolished in 1940 after being heavily damaged by fire in 1939. The current light is a small navigation beacon mounted on the original square screwpile platform. No closeup photo available, but the platform can be seen in a Google satellite view. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. Located off Cobb Island at the western entrance to the Wicomico River; visible from many points on the south side of Cobb Island (end of MD 254). Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-989; USCG 2-17255.

Lower Cedar Point (2) 1896. Active; focal plane 38 ft (11.5 m); green flash every 2.5 s. The former cottage screwpile lighthouse here replaced an earlier lighthouse (1867) destroyed by fire on Christmas Day 1893. The second lighthouse was demolished in 1951. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. The current light is a steel skeletal tower built on the original foundation. Located in the middle of the river between Lower Cedar Point MD and Dahlgren VA. Visible from Cedar Beach on the Maryland side and from the Harry Nice Bridge (US 301) over the river. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-458; USCG 2-17710. Mathias Point Shoal (2) 1876. Active; focal point 44 ft (13.5 m). The lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage screwpile of unusual design, was demolished in 1963. No current closeup photo available, but the light can be seen in a Google satellite view. As seen in the satellite photo, protective rip rap barriers have been placed to the east and west of the light. Located off the Virginia shore at Mathias Point north of Dahlgren. Visible from the Mt. Bethel Recreation Center, near the end of secondary route 624 at Matthias Point VA. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-483; Admiralty J1898; USCG 2-17815. Maryland Point (2) 1892. Active; focal point 42 ft (13 m); white flash every 6 s (two red sectors cover nearby shoals). The lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage screwpile, was removed in 1963. The current light is a steel skeletal tower built on the original foundation. No current photo available; Google has a very fuzzy satellite view. A rotating mechanism from the original lighthouse is displayed at the Bodie Island Lighthouse visitor center near Nags Head, North Carolina. Located in the middle of the river between Wellington Beach MD and Fairview Beach VA; visible from Wellington Beach off MD 224. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-990; USCG 2-17895. * Fort Washington (2) 1882 (station established 1857). Active; focal plane 28 ft (8.5 m); red flash every 6 s. 32 ft (10 m) square pyramidal wood fog bell tower with an open enclosure now containing the bell and a navigation light. The original 6th order Fresnel lens is on display at the Oyster and Maritime Museum in Chincoteague, Virginia. Tower painted white; there is a red triangular daymark marked "80" on the front face. The keeper's house (1885) has been demolished. A photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. This is the only surviving fog signal tower of its type on the Chesapeake. The light station was established with a post light in 1857; the light was moved into the 1882 fog bell tower in 1901. Volunteers from the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society have restored the tower, beginning in 1997. Located in Fort Washington Park on the upper Potomac opposite Mount Vernon, Virginia. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Fort Washington Park. ARLHS USA-302; Admiralty J1952; USCG 2-18560.

Fort Washington Light, October 2006 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Bodkin Island (1822-1855), Chesapeake Bay off Pinehurst; ARLHS USA-991.
• Clay Island (1832-1892), Wicomico River entrance, Eastern Shore; ARLHS USA-992.
• Fog Point (1827-1875), northern tip of Smith Island, Chesapeake Bay; ARLHS USA-993.
• Great Shoals (1884-1966), Wicomico River entrance, Eastern Shore; ARLHS USA-350.
• Hawkins Point (1868-1924), Patapsco River, Baltimore; ARLHS USA-083.
• Leading Point (Brewerton Channel Range Rear) (1868-1924), Patapsco River, Baltimore; ARLHS USA-084.
• North Point Range Front and Rear (1823-?), Baltimore Harbor; ARLHS USA-1290 (rear light).
• Upper Cedar Point (1867-1963), Potomac River north of Dahlgren VA; ARLHS USA-867.

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Checked and revised April 16, 2009. Lighthouses: 44. Lightships: 1. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.