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Workday: Historic Ships of Baltimore:November 16, 2013

We had six volunteers show up on Saturday November 16th for our last workday of the 2013 season on the Lightship Chesapeake. It was an overcast cloudy day as we boarded the lightship and began our work. We were treated to the spectacle of one of the tall ships leaving the harbor (one of the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-historic-ships-of-baltimorenovember-16-2013/

Workday:Thomas Point Light, November 9, 2013

November 9th was cool and breezy as eleven Chapter volunteers headed out for the final weekend workday of the season at Thomas Point Lighthouse. As usual, a lot of work was accomplished and a great deal of it involved paint. Volunteers painted the large white “battery cabinet” that sits in kitchen and “hides” the large …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-thomas-point-light-november-9-2013/

Workday: Hooper Island Sept 10, 2013

Volunteers out at Hooper Island were able to install three portholes in the cellar after hiring a local fabricator to drill the holes. These have been particular difficult to work on given the state of the existing ones. It was hot and thankless work, but they persevered and now there are three functioning portholes in …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-hooper-island-sept-10-2013/

Workday: Thomas Point Lighthouse Sept 7, 2013

Volunteers spent a beautiful Saturday out on the bay working on Thomas Point Lighthouse. The lighthouse was full of the sounds of activity as volunteers spread out and got down to work. The two thresholds were installed for the doors leading out to the first floor deck. The last skid-resistant tread was applied to the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-thomas-point-lighthouse-sept-7-2013/

Workday: Historic Ships of Baltimore August 24, 2013 Workday

Several Chapter volunteers showed up in Baltimore to work on the Lightship Chesapeake. Some volunteers worked on the damage control locker on the top deck. It was sanded and then primed and painted. It is now ready to install a display. Well, it’s almost ready to install a display! After scraping and chipping and priming …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-historic-ships-of-baltimore-august-24-2013-workday/

Workday: Thomas Point August 10, 2013

It was almost crowded out at Thomas Point Light for the August 10th preservation workday. There were 14 volunteers out there this past Saturday for a calm, slightly warm day on the Bay. While there was more painting this time, there were also many other jobs completed. Volunteers successfully delivered an 80 pound pot-belly stove …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-thomas-point-light-august-10-2013/

Workday: Thomas Point July 27, 2013

It was a very productive workday at Thomas Point when seven volunteers showed up on a warm and breezy July Saturday. In what seems to be a rare meteorological event this year the rain held off until the work was done. A second coat of primer was applied to the handles of the steel/iron ladder …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-thomas-point-july-27-2013/

Workday: Hooper Island June 15, 2013

  The rain finally let up for a day and three volunteers headed out to Hooper Island Light for a day of preservation work. The weather could not have been nicer. Al worked on one of the portholes in the basement. Robert worked on the window in one of the upper floors. I worked on …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-hooper-island-june-15-2013/

Workday: Thomas Point May 18, 2013

There was quick work day on May 18th out at Thomas Point. Volunteers installed braces on a noisy vent on the roof of one of the dormers. They sanded down the walls of the food closet in the kitchen and were finally able to patch one of the rotted lower rails on the main deck. …

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Workday: Thomas Point Lighthouse August & October 2005

August 8, 2005: Our very first work day at Thomas Point was very popular. We had a lot of volunteers who suited up and then scrubbed down the light with a 10% bleach solution to clean off bird guano and kill germs. That’s one of the less glamorous jobs of lighthouse work. Other volunteers removed …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-thomas-point-lighthouse-august-october-2005/

Workday: Fort Washington July 18, 2009

Volunteers completed several tasks at Ft. Washington. We were able to use the lift to get to some of the higher areas on the outside of the beacon. While it is short compared to some lighthouses, it is still very nice to use the cherry picker instead of a ladder or the scaffolding. Volunteers also …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-fort-washington-july-18-2009/

Workday: Fort Washington September 2007

It was not just another work day at Ft. Washington in September of 2007. Volunteers did paint the remaining replacement wood so a smaller crew could return during the week to work on the front of the light. The smaller crew did return and stripped off the old wood only to discover one of the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-fort-washington-september-2007/

Workday: Hooper Strait Lighthouse July 2007

Our volunteers showed up at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum on a typical hot summer day and painted two sides of the picturesque Hooper Strait Lighthouse. With a good size work crew we were also able to paint the railings around the cupola. We also took time to do a little bit of lens cleaning …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-hooper-strait-lighthouse-july-2007/

Workday: Thomas Point Lighthouse October 2008

We had beautiful weather as we headed out to Thomas Point in October. The siding on two of the exterior walls were painted white and the railing up around the lantern room received a fresh coat of black paint, railings on the main deck were made more secure. We continued some of the paint stripping …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-thomas-point-lighthouse-october-2008/

Workday: Assateague Island Old Coast Guard Station October 2011

A large group of volunteers arrived at the Old Coast Guard Station on Assateague Island. The bulk of the work was in the basement where we prepped the walls in the all the rooms and then painted them white. There were several rooms and lots of walls. Basically I believe we painted anything that wasn’t …

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Workday: Assateague October 2010

This year we split into two groups for Saturday morning. One group went to the lighthouse while the other stayed out at the station. The group at the lighthouse cut way some of the vegetation at the base of the lighthouse. When that was completed we trimmed back the branches that overhung the trail leading …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-assateague-october-2010/

Workday: Historic Ships In Baltimore May 4, 2013

Six volunteers headed to the Chesapeake Lightship for another productive workday. Volunteers scraped the remaining walls in the engine room Fidley and applied a coat of primer in and around all the various pieces of equipment. We were able to complete a large proportion of the room. A screen was removed from the upper skylight …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-historic-ships-in-baltimore-may-4-2013/

Workday:Historic Ships of Baltimore March 23, 2013

Our first workday in Baltimore for 2013 was on a brisk spring Saturday in March. Volunteers attacked many of the tasks on the work list provided by Greg Krawczyk. Some more repair work was done on the screen door of the Captains cabin. Several of the switches that will be installed were buffed and painted. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workdayhistoric-ships-of-baltimore-march-23-2013/

Workday: Hooper Island April 27, 2013

Two volunteers spent a beautiful spring Saturday on the Hooper Island Lighthouse. They replaced three of the old windows that had rotted with brand new ones. The new windows provide a nice clear view of the Chesapeake and – they don’t leak. After installing the windows they spent what little time was left cleaning up …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-hooper-island-april-27-2013/

Workday: Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse October 2, 2010

It was a beautiful fall day as we headed out to do some volunteer work. There was the never ending sanding and painting of walls and doors and well, just about anything that isn’t moving. There was also some work done on the gutters. It was a small crew, but it all helps move the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-thomas-point-shoal-lighthouse-october-2-2010/

Workday: Historic Ships of Baltimore March 27, 2010

It was another busy day on the lightship as six volunteers arrived for work. We helped lighten the ship by replacing some of the burned out bulbs. The floor in the officers wardroom needed some repair work done and that kept Tony busy most of the day. Alma was busy checking some of the fuses. …

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Workday: Historic Ships of Baltimore June 04, 2011

In June of 2011 eight Chapter volunteers spent the day on the Lightship Chesapeake. Volunteers painted the railings going up to the ship and then worked on a lot of the electrical fixtures. Several were being cleaned up so they could be  put back once new wiring was installed. Drew and Lynne Shettle paint the …

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Workday: Historic Ships of Baltimore March 26, 2011

In March of 2011 Eleven Chapter volunteers spent the day in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor working on one of the few remaining lightships around. Volunteers cleared out the old radio room, some electrical cable was pulled and replaced, some of the stairs were worked on, and a little brass was polished.     Photos courtesy of …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/workday-baltimore-march-26-2011/

Timeline: Turkey Point Lighthouse

(Located in Elk Neck State Park, Cecil County, MD – the tallest focal plane of any MD lighthouse –- Home to four women keepers – Revised 02/07/2021) 1833 Thirty-five foot masonry tower and wooden keepers’ quarters built by John Donahoo on 100-foot bluff overlooking the Elk and North East Rivers. 1856 Fourth-order Fresnel lens visible …

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Timeline: Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse

Thomas Point Lighthouse - Can you tell if the pickets are new or old?

(The last manned lighthouse of the Chesapeake Bay) 1825 First lighthouse, a granite tower, built 100 feet inland on seven acre parcel by John Donahoo. Fitted with Argand style lighting apparatus. 1840 Second lighthouse, a masonry tower built by Winslow Lewis. 1st tower demolished. 1855 Lamp replaced by 5th order Fresnel lens. 1875 Third and …

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Timeline: Solomon’s Lump Lighthouse

(Located on south side of Kedges Strait near Smith Island between the Chesapeake Bay and Tangier Sound – nearly eight miles from land) 1875 First lighthouse, a screwpile built on Solomons Lump shoal. 1893 Lighthouse damaged by moving ice and later carried away by ice during construction of present caisson. 1895 Present steel caisson on cast-iron …

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Timeline: Sharps Island Lighthouse

(The leaning light of the Chesapeake Bay) 1838 First lighthouse, a wooden tower, built on the island (900 acres). 1848 Lighthouse moved inland due to erosion (now – 450 acres). 1855 Lighthouse refitted with 5th order Fresnel lens. 1865/66 Second light, a screwpile, built on shoal. 1881 Screwpile destroyed by ice. Structure w/ keepers aboard …

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Timeline: Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse

Seven Foot Knoll

(Located at Pier 5, Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD – Oldest screwpile lighthouse in Maryland – Revised 5/27/2020) 1855: Light station established at the mouth of the Patapsco River. Second screwpile built on the bay – unique circular design 40 feet in diameter and made of cast-iron. Nearby Bodkin Light decommissioned. 1856: Fourth-order Fresnel lens installed. …

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Timeline: Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse

(Located north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, offshore from Sandy Point State Park, near Annapolis, MD – Revised – 5/27/2020) 1858: First lighthouse established on land at Sandy Point. 1883: Present three-story, 51-foot tall red brick dwelling with a white roof on brown constructed on a caisson, 1,000 yards from Sandy Point State Park. 1890: …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/timeline-sandy-point-lighthouse/

Timeline: Pooles Island Lighthouse

Pooles Island Lighthouse

(Located on Pooles Island, off the mouth of the Gunpowder River – part of the Aberdeen Proving Ground. Oldest lighthouse still standing in MD – 4th Oldest LH on the Chesapeake Bay – 07/13/14) 1825 40 foot tall white-washed conical tower of Port Deposit granite built by John Donahoo- his second lighthouse project, assisted by …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/timeline-pooles-island-lighthouse/