Fenwick Island Lighthouse Station
About this property
Fenwick Island Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Delaware, United States, on the Delaware/Maryland state line. The structure dates back to 1858 making it the oldest lighthouse in the state of Delaware. In 1856, the United States Congress appropriated $25,000 for the Fenwick Island Lighthouse and on January 11, 1858 a ten-acre tract for the station was obtained from Mary C. Hall for only $50. The Fenwick Island Lighthouse was completed on December 29, 1858, but would not be lit until August 1, 1859. Construction was supervised by U.S. Army Captain William F. Raynolds. The lighthouse was built on an isolated peninsula in the southernmost portion of Delaware at the Maryland state line. It is 87 feet tall, brick, with a central cast iron spiral staircase, and equipped with a third-order Fresnel lens. It was automated in 1940. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1978 and remained dark for several years. A public movement to save the lighthouse resulted in ownership of the lighthouse being transferred to the State of Delaware, and the lighthouse was relit in 1982. In 1997, after extensive fundraising efforts made it possible, the rapidly aging lighthouse underwent a full restoration. It was rededicated in July 1998. The lighthouse is owned by the state of Delaware and maintained by the private, non-profit New Friends of the Fenwick Island Lighthouse. The "isolated" lighthouse now stands surrounded by a neighborhood of houses and businesses. Visitors can enter the base to view a small museum and gift shop. The lighthouse, however, is not open for climbing. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Official Fenwick Island Lighthouse Website - includes 2009 season visiting information Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse Project - Fenwick Island Light
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Fenwick Island Lighthouse Station
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Questions about this property
When was Fenwick Island Lighthouse Station listed on the National Register?
Fenwick Island Lighthouse Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 1979.
What type of historic resource is Fenwick Island Lighthouse Station?
Fenwick Island Lighthouse Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Fenwick Island Lighthouse Station?
The period of significance for Fenwick Island Lighthouse Station is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Fenwick Island Lighthouse Station?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fenwick Island Lighthouse Station will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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