Point No Point Light, located in the Chesapeake Bay off the eponymous point several miles north of the mouth of the Potomac River, was constructed as part of a program to add lighted navigational aids in a thirty-mile stretch of the bay between Cove and Smith Points.[2][3][4]
 Undated photograph of Point No Point Light, Maryland (USCG) | |
 | |
| Location | off west shore of the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland north of the mouth of the Potomac River |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°07′41″N 76°17′24″W / 38.128°N 76.29°W |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1905  |
| Foundation | Pneumatic caisson |
| Construction | Brick |
| Automated | 1938, but remained staffed until 1962 |
| Height | 12 m (39 ft) |
| Shape | Octagonal |
| Heritage | National Register of Historic Places listed place |
| Fog signal | Horn, 1 every 30 sec |
| Light | |
| First lit | 1905 |
| Focal height | 52 ft (16 m) |
| Lens | original: fourth order Fresnel lens current: 14.8 inches (375 mm) |
| Range | 9 nautical miles (17 km; 10 mi) |
| Characteristic | Flashing white 6 sec |
Point No Point Light Station | |
| Nearest city | Dameron, Maryland |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built by | Toomey Brothers, New York |
| MPS | Light Stations of the United States MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 02001425[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 2, 2002 |
History edit
The first request for funds to construct this light came in 1891; funds were not appropriated, however, until 1901. Due to the exposed location a pneumatic caisson base was used. This was constructed in 1902 and towed to the site in April 1903, when it was secured to a temporary pier. As with construction of Baltimore Light, a series of mishaps followed. First, the temporary pier collapsed, breaking off two courses of iron plates from the caisson and releasing it from its mooring. The caisson was retrieved and repaired, and in October of that year was set in place. However, in February 1904 the temporary pier was again destroyed, this time by moving ice. The caisson survived without damage, and the light was first shown on April 24, 1905.[5]
Although the light was automated in 1938, it continued to be staffed until 1962. Renovations were carried out in 1989–2001 in order to arrest deterioration of the now-unoccupied structure. In 2006, like other Maryland lights, it was made available to non-profits or government agencies who would be willing to take over maintenance, and in 2007 the offer was extended to individuals. Public auction of the light was cancelled in February 2008, however, "due to safety requirements of the U.S. Navy."
Notes edit
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: Maryland" (PDF). United States Coast Guard Historian's Office.
- ^ Light List, Volume II, Atlantic Coast, Shrewsbury River, New Jersey to Little River, South Carolina (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard. 2012. p. 71.
- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the United States: Maryland". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- ^ D. M. Hanley (n.d.). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Point No Point Light Station" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
References edit
- Point No Point Lighthouse, Maryland from LighthouseFriends.com
- de Gast, Robert (1973). The Lighthouses of the Chesapeake. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 63. ISBN 9780801815485.
- "Point No Point Lighthouse: Online auction". General Services Administration Office of Real Property Disposal. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
- Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse Project – Point No Point Light
External links edit
Media related to Point No Point Light (Maryland) at Wikimedia Commons
- Point No Point Light Station, including photo from 2000, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the United States: Maryland". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
