Sandy Point Shoal Light Station
About this property
Sandy Point Shoal Light is a brick three story lighthouse on a caisson foundation that was erected in 1883. It lies about 0.6 mi (0.97 km) off Sandy Point, north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, from whose westbound span it is readily visible. The current light replaced a brick tower on the point itself, integral to the keeper's house, which was erected in 1857. By 1874 the Lighthouse Board complained that the extent of the shoal and the poor equipment of the lighthouse made a new light necessary; appropriations were not forthcoming, however, until 1882. The whole gamut of light sources has been run, from oil wicks to incandescent oil vapor (1913) to electricity (1929). The characteristic changed from flashing to fixed and back to flashing along with the change in light source. The present light is powered by a pair of solar panels attached to the roof on the south side. After automation in 1963, the light became subject to vandalism due to its visibility and its accessibility. The original lens was destroyed in 1979, apparently smashed with a baseball bat. Though the Coast Guard made efforts at maintaining and restoring the structure from 1988 to 1990, it continued to deteriorate. In 2006 it was sold at auction to a private bidder, after an unsuccessful attempt to find a non-profit group to take responsibility for the light. The Coast Guard continued to maintain the navigation aids until June 2019, when the light was discontinued due to the deterioration of the privately owned supporting structure. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Sandy Point Shoal Light Station on December 2, 2002.
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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 Sandy Point Shoal Light Station
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Questions about this property
When was Sandy Point Shoal Light Station listed on the National Register?
Sandy Point Shoal Light Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 2, 2002.
What type of historic resource is Sandy Point Shoal Light Station?
Sandy Point Shoal Light Station is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Sandy Point Shoal Light Station?
The period of significance for Sandy Point Shoal Light Station is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Sandy Point Shoal Light 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 Sandy Point Shoal Light Station will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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