Virginia Lighthouses

The U.S. state of Virginia includes the southern half of the Chesapeake Bay and the wide estuaries of the Rappahannock, York and James Rivers that empty into the bay. Hampton Roads, at the mouth of the James, is one the largest U.S. harbors and the home port of the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet. East of the Chesapeake, Virginia also includes the southernmost portion of the Delmarva Peninsula, known to Virginians as the Eastern Shore.

Virginia has 11 historic lighthouses, 9 of which are active, and one historic lightship. The nation's second-tallest lighthouse is in Virginia, and there are three towers surviving from the early Federal period. Unfortunately, most Virginia lighthouses are off limits to the public. Local preservation efforts were weak in the past, but they have strengthened in recent years.

Many Virginia lighthouses have been lost, including all of the former screwpile lighthouses of the Chesapeake Bay and the James, York, and Rappahannock Rivers.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals, and USCG numbers are from Vol. II of the U.S. Coast Guard Light List.

 

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Assateague Lighthouse
Assateague Light, March 2006
Creative Commons photo by Mike Mahaffie

General Sources
Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society
The society works for the preservation of lighthouses throughout Virginia and Maryland; its web site includes a Lighthouse Heritage section with information on the lighthouses.
Lighthouses of Virginia
Outstanding photos, directions, and historical accounts by Kraig Anderson.
Virginia Lighthouses Home Page
This page, posted by Phil Payette, also has considerable information on the lights.
Lighthouses in Virginia, United States
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse Project
This site by Matthew Jenkins has excellent photos and brief accounts of the lighthouses.
Chesapeake Bay Lighthouses
Photos and short accounts posted by the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network.
Atlantic Coast Lighthouses
*** Assateague (2)
1867 (station established 1833). Active; focal plane 154 ft (47 m); 2 white flashes every 5 s. 142 ft (43 m) "early classic" round brick tower with lantern and gallery, DCB-236 aerobeacon (1961). Tower painted with red and white horizontal bands; lantern roof is black. The original 1º Fresnel lens (restored during 2000-01) is on display at the Oyster and Maritime Museum in Chincoteague. The 2-story concrete keeper's house (1910) now houses wildlife refuge seasonal staff. The oil house (1891) also survives. A photo appears above, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. In 2004, ownership of the light station was transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Chincoteague Natural History Association helps to maintain the lighthouse and provide public access. The refuge visitor center, nearby, serves as an information center for the lighthouse. In June 2006, a section of the cast iron gallery fell, and the lighthouse was closed for the rest of the season. It reopened for 2007. An April 2008 photo shows the lighthouse to be in desperate need of repainting. Located near the road from Chincoteague to the Assateague Island beach, accessible by a short walk. Site open (refuge entry fee), tower open for tours (another small fee) Thursday through Monday from late May through late September and Friday through Sunday late March through late May and in October and November. Owner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge). Site manager: Chincoteague Natural History Association. ARLHS USA-021; Admiralty J1364; USCG 2-0275.
[Cape Charles (2)]
1864 (station established 1828). Inactive since 1895. This 150 ft (46 m) "early classic" brick tower collapsed into the sea in 1927. Rubble is visible in the surf. Located on uninhabited Smith Island, just north of the cape. Accessible only by boat. Site closed. Owner/site manager: Virginia Nature Conservancy (Virginia Coast Reserve). ARLHS USA-1059.
Cape Charles (3)
1895 (station established 1828). Active; focal plane 180 ft (55 m); white flash every 5 s, day and night. 191 ft (58 m) octagonal pyramidal cast iron skeletal tower with central cylinder, lantern and gallery, solar-powered 190 mm lens. The original 1º Fresnel lens is on display at the Mariner's Museum in Newport News. Tower painted white; lantern and watch room are black. Sadly, the original 2-1/2 story shingle style keeper's house was destroyed by a brush fire on July 13, 2000. The brick coal house and brick generator building survive. A distant 2007 view is available, Payette has additional information, the Chincoteague Natural History Association has posted historical information, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This little-known and rarely-visited tower is the second tallest U.S. lighthouse. The Coast Guard carried out a structural restoration of the tower in fall 2000. Located on uninhabited Smith Island, just north of the cape. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Virginia Nature Conservancy (Virginia Coast Reserve). ARLHS USA-109; Admiralty J1404; USCG 2-0350.
*** Cape Henry (1)
1792 (John McComb). Inactive since 1881. 90 ft (27.5 m) octagonal sandstone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted; lantern is silver-colored. Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is the first lighthouse built by the Federal government and one of the best preserved lighthouses of the early Federal period. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark. The interior was restored in 2002. In 2003 the eroded sandstone foundation of the lighthouse was repaired. Located on Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach, surrounded by Fort Story, an active U.S. Army post (visitor passes are available at the East Gate; photo identification is required for all visitors age 16 and older). Site and tower open daily (small admission fee). Owner/site manager: Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. ARLHS USA-122.
* Cape Henry (2)
1881. Active; focal plane 164 ft (50 m); three flashes every 20 s: two short flashes followed by one long (7 s) flash; red sector covers dangerous shoals. 164 ft (50 m) octagonal cast-iron-clad brick tower, original 1º Fresnel lens. Unusual daymark: alternating black and white vertical bands; lantern is black. The 2-story brick principal keeper's house and two 1-1/2 story wood assistant keepers' house buildings are all standing; one is currently in use as an Army residence. A photo is at right, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. In 2001, the Coast Guard conducted a test of fuel cells as the lighthouse energy source. In late 2005, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities announced it was seeking an agreement with the Coast Guard to manage and interpret the light station; this could lead to opening the tower and keeper's houses to the public. So far no agreement has been obtained. Located across the street from the old tower (see previous entry). Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen at close range from the old light. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-121; Admiralty J1408; USCG 2-0370.
New Cape Henry Lighthouse
1881 Cape Henry Light, April 2007
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Eastern Shore (Chesapeake Bay) Lighthouses
Tangier Sound
1890. Active; focal plane 45 ft (13.5 m); white flash every 6 s (red sector covers dangerous shoal). The lighthouse, a square cottage screwpile, was demolished in 1961. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. The modern light is a white square tower built on the original foundation. Located in the Chesapeake Bay southeast of Tangier Island. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-834; USCG 2-7435.
Rappahannock Shoal Channel South Range Rear
1991. Active; focal plane 220 ft (67 m); continuous white light, day and night. 224 ft (68 m) hexagonal steel skeletal tower mounted on a caisson. Tower also carries a passing light (quick flashing white) at a focal plane of 33 ft (10 m). Google has a satellite view. Although this tower may not fit the traditional idea of a lighthouse, it is the second tallest aid to navigation in the U.S., after the Perry Monument in Lake Erie. Located about 0.3 mi (500 m) offshore of Silver Beach, southwest of Jamesville. Accessible only by boat. There's a good view from the beach off the end of secondary route 613 (extension of VA 183). Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1060; USCG 2-7295.
* Old Plantation Flats (replica)
2004 replica of 1886 lighthouse. Active. 1-story square wood keeper's cottage with lantern and gallery centered on the roof. A reproduction of the original 4th order Fresnel lens is in use. 1942 fog bell (from a bell buoy). Eric Martin's photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was built by a resort developer after very careful research; it is considered to be a faithful reproduction. The original lighthouse was deactivated and demolished in 1962. The replica was constructed in an artificial pond just off the beach and adjacent to a golf course on Old Plantation Creek, about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the original location. The building houses a collection of lighthouse artifacts. Located off VA 184 near the town of Cape Charles. The neighborhood is gated, but passes to visit the lighthouse can be obtained at the sales office. Owner/site manager: Bay Creek Resort and Club.

Old Plantation Flats replica
photo copyright Eric Martin; used by permission

Potomac River Lighthouse (see also Maryland)
* Jones Point
1856. Inactive since 1926; a decorative light is displayed. Approx. 20 ft (6 m) 1-1/2 story frame keeper's house with a small lantern on the roof, 155 mm lens. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is gray. The keeper's house remained in use until 1934; it is completely empty today. Charles Bash's photo is at right, Anderson has a fine page for the lighthouse, and Google has a good satellite view. This is a very unusual small river light; there is nothing else like it in the U.S. After it was deactivated, the lighthouse was donated to the Daughters of the American Revolution, which maintained it for years with a caretaker living in the house. Much later, the D.A.R. returned the property to the National Park Service, but since 1986 the D.A.R.'s Mount Vernon Chapter has had a management agreement for the lighthouse. The lighthouse was renovated and relit in 1995 with funds raised by the chapter. In 2000 architects and archaeologists studied the site as part of the preparations for replacing the nearby Woodrow Wilson Bridge (I-95). In September 2003, flooding by Hurricane Isabel damaged the steps and lower portion of the lighthouse. Anderson reports that the lighthouse has been vandalized repeatedly, a problem likely to continue unless a permanent caretaker can be provided again. The Mount Vernon Bicycle Trail passes the site. Located by the Potomac River in Jones Point Park on the southern edge of Alexandria; Site and tower open. Owner: U.S. National Park Service (George Washington Memorial Parkway). Site manager: Mount Vernon Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. ARLHS USA-409.
Jones Point Lighthouse
Jones Point Light, January 2004
Creative Commons photo by Charles W. Bash

Western Shore (Chesapeake Bay) Lighthouses
Smith Point (2)
1897 (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 52 ft (16 m); white flash every 10 s (red sector covers a dangerous shoal). 2-1/2 story octagonal brick keeper's house, mounted on an iron caisson, surmounted by a short square tower with lantern and gallery; DCB-24 aerobeacon. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Fog horn (2 s blast every 15 s) operates continuously. Bob Indrums has a closeup photo. This lighthouse replaced an 1868 screwpile lighthouse destroyed by ice in 1895. Sibling of Wolf Trap (next entry). The lighthouse was repaired by the Coast Guard in 1991. In 2003-04 the lighthouse was offered for transfer under NHLPA, but there were no applications. In October 2005 the lighthouse was sold on eBay for $170,000 to Dave and Teri McNally of Winona, Minnesota. The McNallys will use the lighthouse as a vacation home. Located in the Chesapeake off the mouth of the Potomac. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-764; Admiralty J1790; USCG 2-7480.
Great Wicomico River (2)
1889. Active; focal plane 42 ft (13 m); white flash every 6 s (2 red sectors cover shoals). The lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage screwpile, was demolished in 1967. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. The current light is a steel skeletal tower built on the original screwpile foundation. Located in the Chesapeake Bay southeast of Fleeton, off the mouth of the river. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-351; USCG 2-7475.
Windmill Point (2)
1869. Inactive since 1954. The lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage screwpile, was demolished in 1965. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. Ruins of the original screwpile foundation remain. Located east of Windmill Point, on the north side of the Rappahannock River entrance. Accessible only by boat. ARLHS USA-898.
Stingray Point (2)
1858. Active; focal plane 34 ft (10 m); white flash every 4 s. The lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage screwpile, was demolished in 1965. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. The current light is a steel skeletal tower built on the original screwpile foundation. Located in the Chesapeake Bay east of Stingray Point, on the south side of the Rappahannock River entrance. Accessible only by boat, but visible from the end of VA 33 east of Deltaville. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-812; Admiralty J1642; USCG 2-7325.
*** Stingray Point (replica)
2003 (replica of the 1858 lighthouse). Inactive. 1-story hexagonal wood keeper's cottage with lantern centered on the roof. A 2008 photo is available, and Lighthouse Digest has an article including photos. The lighthouse is a museum and also serves as the office of the Stingray Harbor Marina in Deltaville. A 5° Fresnel lens of uncertain origin, a fog bell, and a bell striking mechanism are on display. Located off VA 33 in Deltaville, 1.6 miles (2.5 km) west of the original site in the Bay. Site and lighthouse presumably open daily. Owner/site manager: Stingray Harbor Marina.
Wolf Trap (2)
1894 (station established 1870). Active; focal plane 52 ft (16 m); white flash every 15 s. 2-1/2 story octagonal red brick keeper's house, mounted on an iron caisson, surmounted by a short square tower with lantern and gallery; solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon. Lighthouse painted fire-engine red, lantern black. Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse. This lighthouse replaced an 1870 screwpile lighthouse destroyed by ice in 1892. In 2003-04 the lighthouse was offered for transfer under NHLPA, but there were no applications, and in October 2005 the lighthouse was sold at auction for $75,000 to Nick Korstad of North Plains, Oregon. One of Korstad's photos of the lighthouse is at right. In early 2006, Korstad sold the lighthouse for $115,000 to James H. Southard, Jr. of Charleston, South Carolina. In 2007, Southard replaced the roof of the lighthouse. Located on a dangerous shoal in the Chesapeake south of the mouth of the Rappahannock. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-903; Admiralty J1618; USCG 2-7255.

Wolf Trap Light, 2005
photo copyright Nick Korstad; used by permission
New Point Comfort
1806 (Elzy Burroughs). Reactivated (inactive 1963-1999, now privately maintained and unofficial). 58 ft (17.5 m) early Federal octagonal sandstone tower with lantern and gallery. Sibling of Old Point Comfort (a different site, about 30 miles (50 km) to the south). Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Keeper's quarters destroyed. The Coast Guard has a good historic photo of the light station, and Anderson has an excellent page. Endangered: located on a very small, eroding island in the Chesapeake. Renovated 1988, severely vandalized in 1994, then repaired and relit December 12, 1999. The lighthouse is moldy from being long closed and the cast iron is badly corroded. Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. A local group called the New Point Comfort Lighthouse Preservation Task Force is working toward a complete restoration of the structure. In 2002, the Virginia General Assembly budgeted $56,742 to develop a master plan for saving the lighthouse and opening it to the public. In 2003 the Army Corps of Engineers agreed to include a study of protecting the structure as part of a larger study of erosion problems on the Chesapeake. In 2004 the county constructed a pier to provide access to the lighthouse. In 2007, the preservation group announced a $750,000 plan to place a wall of granite boulders around the lighthouse. Bay Trails Outfitters in Onemo offers kayak tours to the lighthouse, and camping is available nearby. Accessible only by boat; no landing facilities available. There's a good view from the observation platform at the Virginia Nature Conservancy's New Point Comfort Preserve, located at the end of secondary route 600, off VA 14 south of Bavon. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Mathews County. ARLHS USA-543.
[York Spit (3)]
1870. Active; focal plane 30 ft (9 m). The lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage screwpile, was demolished in 1960. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. After the lighthouse was demolished, a skeletal tower was built on the platform. That tower and the platform were destroyed by Hurricane Isabel in 2003. The current light is a attached to one of the pilings of the original screwpile foundation. Located in the Chesapeake Bay about 5 miles (8 km) east of Tue Point on the south side of the entrance to the York River. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-909; USCG 2-13455.
Tue Marshes (2)
1875. Active; focal plane 41 ft (12.5 m); white flash every 6 s. The lighthouse, a square cottage screwpile, was demolished in 1960. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. The current light is a steel skeletal tower built on the original screwpile foundation. Located in the Chesapeake Bay just east of Tue Point, the southern entrance to the York River. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-856; Admiralty J1510; USCG 2-13505.
[Back River (2)]
1829 (Winslow Lewis). Inactive since 1936. This 30 ft (9 m) oldstyle brick tower was destroyed by the hurricanes of the 1950s. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. Ruins are visible in the water just offshore. Located off the end of Lighthouse Road in the Grand View section of Hampton, about 6 miles north of Old Point Comfort. Site open. ARLHS USA-025.

Former York River Lighthouses
[Pages Rock (2)]
1893. Active; focal plane 43 ft (13 m); white flash every 6 s. The lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage screwpile, was demolished in 1967. The Coast Guard has a historic photo. The current light is a steel skeletal tower built on the original screwpile foundation. Located off Blundering Point on the northeast side of the river, about 5 miles (8 km) north of Yorktown. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-577; USCG 2-13875.
Bells Rock (2)
1928 (?) (station established 1881). Active; focal plane 40 ft (12 m); white flash every 4 s (with a large red sector covering shoals). The lighthouse, a hexagonal cottage screwpile, was demolished in 1928. Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. The current light is a steel skeletal tower built on the original screwpile foundation. Located near the center of the river about 3 miles (5 km) southeast of West Point. Visible from the end of secondary route 666 at Belleview on the east side of the river. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-051; USCG 2-13995.

Hampton Roads Area Lighthouses
Thimble Shoal (3)
1914 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 55 ft (16.5 m); white flash every 10 s. 40 ft (12 m) round sparkplug-style cast iron tower, with lantern and upper and lower galleries, incorporating a 3-story keeper's house, and mounted on an iron caisson; solar powered RB-355 aerobeacon. The original 4° Fresnel lens is on display at the USCG Training Center at Yorktown. Lighthouse painted red, lantern black. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s) operates continuously. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Screwpile lighthouses at this high-traffic location burned in 1880 and again in 1909, the second time after a collision with a ship. Extensively restored by the Coast Guard in 1988; repainted and repaired in 1997. In 2003-04 the lighthouse was offered for transfer under NHLPA, but there were no applications, and in October 2005 the lighthouse was sold at auction for $65,000 to Peter Jurewicz of Smithfield, Virginia. Jurewicz grew up in nearby Ocean View and bought the lighthouse because he always wanted to visit it. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the light station and its history. Located in the Chesapeake off Willoughby Spit, adjacent to the main channel into Hampton Roads. Accessible only by boat. Good views from the beach at many points of the Willoughby-Ocean View neighborhood in Norfolk. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-842; Admiralty J1416; USCG 2-9310.
* Old Point Comfort
1802 (Elzy Burroughs). Active; focal plane 54 ft (16.5 m); 2 red flashes, separated by 2 s, every 12 s; white sector to the southeast. 58 ft (17.5 m) early Federal octagonal sandstone tower with lantern and gallery, 4º Fresnel lens (installed in the 1890s). The lighthouse is painted white; the lantern (somewhat oddly) is painted green with a red roof. The 2-1/2 story Queen Anne Victorian wood keeper's house (1900) is a non-commissioned officer's residence. T.J. Hanton's photo is at right, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view of the station. A very well preserved lighthouse, restored in the late 1990s. Located in Fort Monroe, an active Army post (visitor pass available at the gate; photo identification for all visitors 16 and older is required) at the end of East Mellen Street in Hampton. In May 2005, the Pentagon's base closure commission recommended closing Fort Monroe. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: U.S. Army (Fort Monroe). ARLHS USA-567; Admiralty J1420; USCG 2-9380.
* Fort Wool
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 ft (7.5 m); white flash every 4 s. Beacon mounted atop a concrete pillbox fortification at Fort Wool, one of the historic forts protecting the entrance to Hampton Roads. Payette has a photo (right photo in the bottom row on the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located on an island adjoining the south portal of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (I-64) in the middle of the entrance to Hampton Roads, opposite Old Point Comfort. Accessible by passenger ferry from the Hampton Visitors Center. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of Hampton. ARLHS USA-1061; USCG 2-9385.
Old Point Comfort Lighthouse
Old Point Comfort Light, September 2005
Creative Commons photo by T.J. Hanton
Newport News Middle Ground
1891. Active; focal plane 52 ft (16 m); red flash every 10 s. 2-1/2 story round sparkplug-style cast iron tower with lantern and three galleries, incorporating a 3-story keeper's house, and mounted on an iron caisson; solar-powered 375 mm lens. The lighthouse is painted deep red, the lantern black. Fog bell (stroke every 15 s). Heath Cash has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was dented in a collision with a tugboat in 1979. The light was upgraded in 2000 in response to requests for a better light from pilots; located on a pole outside the tower since 1986, the light was returned to the lantern room and converted from white to red to make it more visible against the lights of the bridge behind the lighthouse. In July 2003, two nonprofit groups submitted applications for the lighthouse under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, but neither application was accepted. As a result, in October 2005 the lighthouse was sold at auction to Robert Gonsoulin of Williamsburg, Virginia, who is working to fix up the lighthouse as a "private retreat" for his extended family. By September 2007, Gonsoulin had spent over $60,000 to restore the lighthouse and make it habitable. Located on a shoal off Newport News Point in Hampton Roads. Accessible only by boat but close to the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge-Tunnel (I-664); visible from King-Lincoln Park near the north end of the bridge-tunnel. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-549; Admiralty J1458; USCG 2-10815.
**** Lightship 101 Portsmouth
1916. Decommissioned 1960 (a decorative light is displayed). 360-ton steel ship, single-masted, length 101 ft (30.8 m), beam 25 ft (7.6 m). The light was displayed from the top of the mast. Hull painted red, superstructure painted white. Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Matthew Jenkins also has a page, and Google has a satellite view. The ship was stationed off Cape Charles, Virginia, in 1916-25, at the Overfalls station off Cape Henlopen, Delaware, in 1925-51, and off Nantucket, Massachusetts,1951-60. In 1964, when the Coast Guard was preparing to sell the ship for scrap, a Hampton Roads fishing boat captain, Tony Panello, towed the ship from Nantucket to Portsmouth in order to save it. Renamed Portsmouth, the ship was donated to that city. In 2004 the lightship reopened after an extensive restoration. Located on land at Water and London Streets, Portsmouth waterfront. Open daily except Mondays (admission fee). Owner/site manager: Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum and Lightship Museum. ARLHS USA-663.
* [Hog Island (2) (lens)]
1896. Inactive since 1948 (decorative lighting is now displayed). Replica lantern with original 1° Fresnel lens. The lighthouse, a pyramidal skeletal tower very similar to Cape Charles Light, was demolished in 1948. The 1° lens was displayed at the Mariner's Museum in Newport News until 1972. After being in storage for 30 years, it now shines nightly at the end of High Street on the Portsmouth waterfront, 2 blocks south of the lightship Portsmouth; Google has a satellite view. Lighthouse Digest has a good article on the lens. Owner (lens): U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: City of Portsmouth.
 

LV-101 Portsmouth; City of Portsmouth photo

Former James River Lighthouses
Jordan Point (Range Rear) (3)
1941 (station established 1855). Active; focal plane 65 ft (20 m); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 60 ft (18 m) cylindrical steel skeletal tower. Google has an indistinct satellite view. The original lighthouse was demolished in 1875 when it was threatened by shoreline erosion. The light was then moved to the top of the fog bell tower, and a new keeper's house was built in 1888. These buildings were abandoned in 1927 due to continuing shoreline erosion. The current structure is in service as the Jordan Point Range Rear Light. Located just off the south approach to the Benjamin Harrison Bridge (VA 156) east of Hopewell. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-995; Admiralty J1457.1; USCG 2-12420.
[Dutch Gap Canal]
1875. Inactive since 1910. Foundations and brick chimney of a keeper's cottage remain. The keeper tended two 27 ft (8 m) post lights, one at either end of the canal, which cuts across an oxbow of the river. The site is marked and preserved as part of an 800-acre (350-hectare) historical and conservation area. Located on the south bank of the river upstream from the I-295 bridge at the end of Coxendale Road. Site open. Owner: Chesterfield County. Site manager: Henricus Historical Park. ARLHS USA-1062.

Offshore Light Tower
Chesapeake
1965. Active; focal plane 117 ft (35.5 m); 2 white flashes (separated by 3 s) every 15 s. Fog horn (blast every 30 s) operates continuously. Texas platform with square cylindrical tower with lantern at one corner. The platform also carries a NOAA C-MAN automatic weather station. Located 14.5 miles (23 km) east northeast of Cape Henry. Endangered: the tower was scheduled for deactivation in 2004, but at last report it remains in use, the last survivor of its class. Accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-168; Admiralty J1403; USCG 2-0360.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouse:

  • Smithfield Station has a cottage screwpile lighthouse replica as part of an inn on the Pagan River at Smithfield; the building is not an aid to navigation.

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Posted 2000. Checked and revised April 29, 2008. Lighthouses: 23. Lightships: 1. Site copyright 2008 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.