Chapter IV: Part 4

Evidence was soon presented to the Lighthouse Board that a light was needed at Point Isabel and that it would be necessary to purchase land for a site at an estimated cost of $8,000. “Upon the discontinuance of the present light” the report continues “the possession of the light structures went to the owners of the land upon which they were built. These buildings are worth considerably more than the sum for which the owners offer to sell the present site, including improvements, to the United States.” Congress accordingly, in 1889, appropriated $8,000 for reestablishing the light and the purchase of land on which it stood. The owner offered to sell the site on which the station was situated for $6,000 but the United States attorney reported adversely on the title and he was directed to commence proceedings in condemnation to acquire title. When the case was called for trial in 1891 the district engineer, under instructions from the Lighthouse Board, declined to turn over the requisite amount until the title had been approved by the Attorney General. The sale was finally consummated in 1894 for $5,000 and the Board reported “The purchase has at last been consummated. The title to the site is now in the Government. The light will be shown at an early day.” The light was finally reexhibited on July 15, 1895, but 10 years later, in 1905, discontinued for good. In 1927 the site was sold to the highest bidder for $2,760. (1) (2)

_VIRGINIA_
CAPE CHARLES LIGHTHOUSE

The original lighthouse on Smith Island, near Cape Charles, Va., at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay was completed in 1828, at a cost of $7,398.82. In 1856 Congress appropriated $35,000 for “rebuilding the Cape Charles Lighthouse upon a proper site and fitting it with proper illuminating apparatus.” This sum was spent in 1858 and 1859 and on June 20, 1860, an additional $10,200 was appropriated for a keeper’s dwelling. Only about $1,890 of this was spent, however. Before the new tower was finished it was completely destroyed by “a party of guerrillas” in the Civil War then raging.

“In August last (1862)” the Lighthouse Board reported “the lighthouse at Cape Charles was visited by a party of guerrillas, who completely destroyed the light, carrying away such portable articles as they deemed valuable. The new tower authorized for that station had, at the outbreak of the rebellion progressed in construction to a height of 83 feet, the greater part of the materials to complete the tower to its proper height (150 feet) being on the ground, stored, ready for future use. During the rebel occupancy of this part of the peninsula, the articles which had been stored were subjected to indiscriminate pilfering and spoliation, so that a new provision will have to be made.”

In 1864 Congress appropriated $20,000 for rebuilding the lighthouse and the tower was completed forthwith, the light being first exhibited on May 7, 1864. “Owing to the liability of this important light to an attack from the enemy” the Board reported on June 30, 1864, “a competent military guard for its protection has been asked for.”

The encroachment of the sea upon the shore at this station had been in progress for many years by 1883 and about 300 feet had been washed away since 1857. By that time (1883) the waterline was within 300 feet of the tower and still nearer the keeper’s dwelling. The average annual encroachment was then about 30 feet. As a result, Congress in 1885 appropriated $10,000 to be used for “jetties of stone resting upon heavy timber mattresses to prevent too rapid sinking into the sand.”

However, further congressional action was believed necessary in that year to authorize the purchase of additional land needed for the three large jetties and $30,000 was asked for this purpose. By 1886 about 120 feet of brush mattresses of this shore protection were completed and partially loaded with stone and about 80 feet of one jetty was finished extending from the shore to about low water mark. The jetty had already gathered much sand but had washed away somewhat at the sea extremity. In 1889, as steps were being taken to extend the protection, a heavy northeasterly gale washed away about 75 feet of the jetty and undermined the south end of the protection wall, and, at one time, the station was entirely surrounded by water. The retreat of the shore was not local but was general along the island. Any protection works, therefore, would have to extend a long distance to the northeast and be very expensive. It was, therefore, thought to be more economical to build a new light station where it would not be exposed to any danger. This would cost about $150,000.

Measures were meanwhile taken to construct four jetties at right angles to the shore protection and a protection wall in front of the one still standing. These were begun in February 1890. An appropriation of $150,000 for a new tower was made on August 30, 1890. The new jetties were finished in April 1891.

The contract for a new iron tower on a new site was signed in June 1893 and the structure was completed December 21, 1894. A first-order lens was installed and the light first exhibited August 15, 1895.

The tower is an octagonal, pyramidal skeleton structure, 191 feet above land and 180 feet above water. The 1,200,000 candlepower first-order electric apparatus is unwatched and is visible 20 miles. (1) (2)

_VIRGINIA_
CAPE HENRY LIGHTHOUSE

Provision for building a lighthouse at Cape Henry, at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, was included in the first appropriation made for lighthouses by Congress on March 26, 1790. The amount was for $24,076.66. The project had already been undertaken by the State of Virginia and Governor Randolph had written President Washington on December 18, 1789:

“The State, some years ago, placed upon the shore of Cape Henry nearly a sufficient quantity of materials to complete such a lighthouse as was at that time thought convenient, which have been, in the course of time, covered with sand. Measures are being taken to extricate them from this situation.”

The Governor offered to sell these materials to the Federal Government and to cede the necessary land for the lighthouse to the United States.

The tower which was constructed under contract for $15,200, was an octagonal sandstone tower, the materials for which had undoubtedly been brought from abroad as ballast. The light, which was first shown in 1792, first consisted of oil lamps burning in turn fish oil, sperm oil, colza oil, lard oil, and finally kerosene after the discovery of petroleum in Pennsylvania in 1859.

In 1857 the lighthouse was provided with a dioptric Fresnel lens. Great difficulty, however, was experienced in distinguishing between lights along the coast in the 1840’s because of the numerous fixed white lights, such as Cape Henry’s. It was not until 1922 that the Cape Henry light’s characteristic was changed to a distinctive group flashing light.

During the Civil War the lantern of Cape Henry lighthouse was destroyed, but it was back in operation by 1863 being protected by a military guard detailed from Fortress Monroe. All the light vessels from Cape Henry southward had either been removed, sunk or destroyed by the Southern forces.

In 1872 the Lighthouse Board recommended the building of a new tower, stating that the old tower was in an unsafe condition and that there was no way of repairing it satisfactorily. “It is in danger of being thrown down by some heavy gale.” It was not until 1875 that Congress appropriated $75,000 “for rebuilding and remodeling the lighthouse at Cape Henry.”

In 1879 a contract for a new iron lighthouse, consisting of cast-iron plates backed by masonry walls, was entered into and after two more appropriations of $25,000 each in 1880 and 1881, the new tower was completed and the light first shown on December 15, 1881.

The old tower remained standing and became one of the antiquities of the State of Virginia, serving as a monument commemorating the landing of John Smith.

The new structure was 170 feet in height and the lantern was equipped with a first-order lens, the lamp having five concentric wicks. A steam siren fog signal was also established. An incandescent oil-vapor lamp, burning kerosene vapor, replaced the wick lamp in 1912. This increased the intrinsic brilliancy, but decreased the area lit. The candlepower, however, was increased from 6,000 to 22,000. The candlepower has now been increased to 80,000 for the white light, with 16,000-candlepower red sector covering the shoals outside the cape and the middle ground inside the bay. The light is 164 feet above water and visible 19 miles. This station is also equipped with a diaphone fog signal and a radiobeacon. (1) (2)

_WASHINGTON_
CAPE FLATTERY LIGHTHOUSE

Off shore, on Tatoosh Island.

Cape Flattery Lighthouse was built in 1857, but only after great difficulties with the Indians. Before commencing the lighthouse, it was necessary to build a blockhouse, and 20 muskets with ammunition were furnished for protection against Indians from the Canadian side of the Strait. Shortly after the light was completed the keeper resigned because he was annoyed by the numerous Indians who used the island as a fishing and whaling station. Cape Flattery Lighthouse is now electrified, and is fitted with a diaphone fog signal and a radiobeacon.

The light can be seen for 19 miles and is 165 feet above water. (1) (2)

SOURCES

(1) Inspection Reports by Army, Navy, Revenue Cutter Officers and
Special Agents of the Treasury Department—The National Archives,
Washington, D. C.

(2) Annual Reports of the Lighthouse Board—1852-1910.

(3) Lighthouses and Lightships of the United States (1917 and 1933).

By George R. Putnam—Houghton-Mifflin Co. (by permission).

(4) Sentinel of the Coasts (1937).

By George R. Putnam—W. W. Norton Co., Inc., New York (by permission).

(5) Famous New England Lighthouses (1945).

By Edward Rowe Snow—The Yankee Publishing Co., 72 Broad Street,
Boston, Mass. (by permission).

(6) Lighthouses of the Maine Coast (1935).

By R. T. Sterling—Stephen Daye Press, Brattleboro, Vt. (by
permission).

(7) The Lighthouse Service—Its History, Activities, and Organization
(1926).

By George Weiss—The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, Md.

(8) Cape Florida Lighthouse. A paper presented to a joint meeting of
the South Florida Historical Association and the Florida Historical
Society at Miami in April 1949 by Lt. Comdr. Charles M. Brookfield,
USCGR.

★ U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1972 0—463-008

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

U.S. COAST GUARD
Public Information Division
Washington, D.C. 20590

Transcriber’s Notes

--Silently corrected a few palpable typos.

--Retained publication information from the printed copy: this is public
domain in the U.S.

--In the text versions, italicized words are _delimited by underscores_.

--Illustrations are not captioned, since they are all photographs of the
lighthouse being described.