1823: A light at Thomas Point is officially requested by William Bedford Barney, a naval officer for the Port of Baltimore. 1824: Congress appropriates $6,500 to construct a lighthouse at Thomas Point. The land is purchased for $529.69. 1825: A 30-foot tall, conical tower is constructed by John Donahoo, and lit for the first time. …
Category: Timelines
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Timeline: Greenbury Point Shoals Lighthouse
1879: The U.S. Lighthouse Board recommends building a lighthouse at the end of the shoal of Greenbury Point to replace the existing lighthouse on land that is quickly eroding and in need of extensive repairs at a price of $25,000. 1889: After years of requests from the U.S. Lighthouse Board, Congress appropriates $25,000 to construct …
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Timeline: Somers Cove Lighthouse
1867: Congress appropriates $10,000 to construct a screwpile lighthouse at Somers Cove, MD on March 2. 1867: Somers Cove Lighthouse, a square screwpile, is completed. 1880: Somers Cove Lighthouse is repainted. 1891: Four of the diagonal girders are repaired. 1898: Keeper William Insley is seriously injured on December 22. 1899: New model fifth-order lamps are …
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Timeline: Mathias Point Lighthouse
1873: The United States naval steamer Frolic went ashore near Mathias Point, MD in the summer and remained grounded for some time. The U.S. Lighthouse Board recommends an appropriation of $40,000 to build a lighthouse at this extremely dangerous part of the Potomac River. 1874: Congress appropriates $40,000 to build a lighthouse or day beacon …
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Timeline: Sharkfin Shoal Lighthouse
1887: The U.S. Lighthouse Board recommends building a screwpile lighthouse on Sharkfin Shoal at a price of $25,000. This light station would take the place of Clay Island lighthouse, which is being washed away due to erosion and needs many expensive repairs. 1889: Congress appropriates $25,000 to construct the lighthouse at Sharkfin Shoal. Borings are …
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Timeline: Ragged Point Lighthouse
1896: The U.S. Lighthouse Board recommends that a lighthouse be built at Ragged Point, MD on the Potomac River to mark a shoal at a dangerous turn in the river. The Lighthouse Board requests $20,000 to construct the light and fog signal station. 1901: After multiple requests to establish a light at Ragged Point over …
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Timeline: Maryland Point Lighthouse
1887: The U.S. Lighthouse Board recommends that a lighthouse be built at Maryland Point, 50 miles upriver from the Bay where there is a narrow bend and only 10 feet of water at a shoal. They request an appropriation of $25,000. 1888: The request is repeated, with an increased appropriation of $45,000 to construct a …
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Timeline: Lower Cedar Point Lighthouse
1825: A 72-ton wood schooner with a single light, “DD”, is stationed at Lower Cedar Point Station on the Potomac River. 1861: Confederate forces seize and burn the light vessel. 1864: A second light vessel, LV-24, is placed at Lower Cedar Point. It was a 115-ton wood vessel with an iron day marker, 2 lanterns, …
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Timeline: Love Point Lighthouse
1834: A request is made to construct a lighthouse on Love Point, Maryland at a price of $5,500 on June 30. 1837: The request to build a lighthouse on Love Point is rejected. Captain Claxton of the Navy Commissioners Office writes in a letter: “it would be totally useless for vessels passing up or …
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Timeline: Janes Island Lighthouse
1850: Congress appropriates $8,000 for a lightboat to be stationed off the southwest point of Janes Island on September 18. 1852: John T. Tardy & Phillip Auld are awarded the contract to build the lightship at Janes Island with a low bid of $5,990. 1853: The lightship is constructed and put into service. The …
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Timeline: Great Shoals Lighthouse
1882: The Lighthouse Board recommends the construction of a lighthouse at the Great Shoals near the mouth of the Wicomico River at an estimated price of $15,000. 1883: Congress appropriates $15,000 on March 3, to construct a square screwpile lighthouse at the entrance to the Wicomico River on the Great Shoals. Borings are made by …
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Timeline: Hambrooks Bar Light
1900: Representative Kerr of Maryland, introduces a bill to the Committee on Commerce to establish a beacon light on Hambrooks Bar and two range lights to show the entrance to Cambridge Harbor, Choptank River, MD on December 11. The Treasury Department recommends revising the bill to include “at a cost not to exceed $10,000.” Representative …
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Timeline: Fog Point Lighthouse
1826: Congress appropriates $3,500 to construct a lighthouse at Fog’s Point on the northwestern tip of Smith Island on May 18. 1827: Built by John Donahoo, the structure was a white brick house with a stone tower with a lantern placed on top of the roof dwelling. 1838: The light in the dwelling burns ten …
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Timeline: Cobb Point Bar Lighthouse
1885: The U.S. Lighthouse Board requests $15,000 to build a lighthouse at Cobb Point Bar to guide vessels into the mouth of the Wicomico River and provide refuge for vessels from bad storms or drifting ice. 1887: The U.S. Lighthouse board repeats the request to construct a lighthouse at Cobb Point Bar, this time for …
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Timeline: Clay Island Lighthouse
1828: Congress appropriates $6,500 to construct a lighthouse on Clay Island, at the northernmost part of Tangier Sound on May 23. 1831: Congress appropriates $5,900 for the project as the previous appropriation had been carried to the surplus fund. The land is purchased for the site of the lighthouse at a price of $500 – …
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Timeline: Bodkin Point Lighthouse
1819: Congress appropriates $9,000 on March 3 to construct a lighthouse at Bodkin Point and two on North Point at the mouth of the Patapsco River, Maryland. 1820: Six acres of land are purchased in August from Richard Caton for $600. 1821: The contract to construct the lighthouse is awarded to Thomas Evans and William …
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Timeline: Hog Island Lighthouse
1837: On March 3, Congress appropriates $5,000 to construct a lighthouse on the south end of Hog Island, Virginia. 1837: In a letter dated April 18, Commander Alexander Claxton wrote a letter to Commodore John Rodgers, President of the Board of Navy Commissioners. In the letter, he recommended that the money appropriated by Congress was …
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Timeline: Lambert Point Lighthouse
1870: A request of $15,000 is made to construct a square lighthouse at Lambert’s Point on the east side of the Elizabeth River to mark a shoal just off the point. 1871: Congress appropriates $15,000 on March 3 to construct the square lighthouse on five piles with a fifth-order red light. 1873: The west side …
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Timeline: Pungoteague Creek Lighthouse
1852: On August 31, Congress appropriates $10,000 to build a lighthouse at Pungoteague Creek, Va. 1853: The site for the lighthouse is selected and approved plans and estimates are provided by Major Hartman Bache. 1854: The entire structure, foundation, superstructure, and ironwork is completed in Philadelphia, Pa. On April 23, materials were shipped to the …
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Timeline: Tangier Sound Lighthouse
1887: The lighthouse board requests $25,000 to construct a screwpile lighthouse at the Tangier Island Shoal, at the entrance to Tangier Sound in the Chesapeake Bay. 1888: Congress appropriates $25,000 to construct a lighthouse at Tangier Island Shoal on October 2. 1889: Plans & specifications are prepared, and proposals were opened on March 16 for …
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Timeline: York Spit Lighthouse
1837: A request is made to the Secretary of the Treasury to provide a contract for construction of a light vessel on York River Spit, or a lighthouse in Virginia on March 3 for $10,000. 1853: A request is made to the Lighthouse Board from the Custom House Office in Yorktown, Virginia to provide a …
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Timeline: Tue Marshes Lighthouse
1874: Congress appropriates $15,000 on June 23 to construct a lighthouse at Too’s Marshes, near the mouth of the York River, Virginia. 1875: Construction begins on the lighthouse on May 24th. It is to be a square screwpile cottage structure on iron piles. It is equipped with a sixth-order Fresnel lens first exhibited on August …
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Timeline: Watts Island Lighthouse
1828: Congress appropriates $6,500 to construct a lighthouse on Little Watts Island on May 23. 1831: Congress appropriates $6,400 for a lighthouse on Little Watts Island. 1833: John Donahoo builds a 48-foot tower equipped with a fifth-order Fresnel lens and keepers house at a price of $4,775. 1838: The keeper’s house is noted as being …
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Timeline: White Shoal Lighthouse
1850: The U. S. Lighthouse Board authorizes $3,500 for preliminary work in the engineering & design for four lighthouses on the James River. 1852: Congress appropriates $1,000 for a beacon on White Shoal, August 31, 1852. 1854: Construction of a square cottage supported by five, five-inch diameter wooden piles covered with a cast-iron screw sleeve, …
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Timeline: Point of Shoals Lighthouse
1837: A request is made by Beverly Kennon, Captain of the United States Navy, to construct a lighthouse at three locations along the James River in Virginia; Day’s Point, Point of Shoals and Deep Water & Lyon’s Creek Shoals. 1850: The U. S. Lighthouse Board authorizes $3,500 for preliminary work in the engineering & design …
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Timeline: Pages Rock Lighthouse
1883: The U. S. Lighthouse Board recommends that a lighthouse be constructed at Pages Rock, in the York River, approximately five miles from Yorktown, Virginia at a cost of $25,000. The combination of railroads at West Point and the increasing commerce on the York River are the reason for the request. This request is repeated …
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Timeline: Nansemond River Lighthouse
1874: The Virginia State Legislature passes an act to cede the land necessary for the construction of a lighthouse on April 16. 1876: On July 31, 1876, Congress appropriates $15,000 to build a lighthouse at the mouth of the Nansemond River, Virginia. 1877: A five-acre tract of land is titled to the United States for …
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Timeline: Killock Shoal Lighthouse
1884: On July 7, 1884, Congress appropriates $10,000 to construct a small lighthouse and fog signal on Killick Shoal, in Chincoteague Bay. A site is selected in August—on the outer end of the shoal on the north side of the channel, approximately 3-1/8 miles from the Assateague light. 1885: The deed for the site is …
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Timeline: Great Wicomico River Lighthouse
1888: On October 2, Congress appropriates $25,000 to build a lighthouse at the mouth of the Great Wicomico River on Virginia’s Western Shore. 1889: Proposals for bids to furnish the ironwork went out in January and bids received were opened on February 13. The winning bid was $13,975 for this lighthouse and the Holland Island …
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Timeline: Dutch Gap Canal Lighthouse
1864: Union troops dig a canal by removing 67,000 cubic yards of soil to open 174 yards of the canal so that Federal gunboats can move upriver to the Confederate defenses of Richmond. 1871: The canal is improved and dredged, cutting almost five miles off the loop around Farrar Island. 1873: Congress appropriates $15,000 on …
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