Choptank River Light facts for kids
| Location | southeast of Bernoni Point at the mouth of the Tred Avon River, SE of Oxford, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°39′20″N 76°11′08″W / 38.6555°N 76.1855°W |
| Year first lit | 1871 (second light in 1921) |
| Deactivated | 1964 |
| Foundation | screw-pile |
| Construction | cast-iron/wood |
| Tower shape | hexagonal house |
| Original lens | sixth-order Fresnel lens (replaced with fifth-order lens in 1881) |
The Choptank River Light was a special kind of lighthouse called a screw-pile lighthouse. It stood near Oxford, Maryland, helping ships navigate the waters. What makes this lighthouse extra interesting is that its second building was moved from another spot in the Chesapeake Bay. This was a very rare event!
Contents
The First Choptank River Light
The very first lighthouse at this location was built in 1871. Before this, a lightship (a boat with a light) guided ships. A man named Francis A. Gibbons built the lighthouse.
How the First Lighthouse Was Built
This first lighthouse was built on ten strong poles, or "piles," screwed into the riverbed. It was similar to how the York Spit Light in Virginia was constructed. Imagine a house standing on stilts in the water!
The Lighthouse's Powerful Lens
When it was first built, the lighthouse had a special light called a sixth-order Fresnel lens. This type of lens was very advanced. It could focus the light into a strong beam that sailors could see from far away.
Ice Damage and Upgrades
In 1881, something unexpected happened. Thick ice piled up around the lighthouse's foundation. This ice pushed against the outer poles, causing the lighthouse to tilt a little. To make it stronger, the lens was upgraded to a more powerful fifth-order Fresnel lens.
The End of the First Lighthouse
Unfortunately, the ice caused more trouble. In 1918, another huge ice flow, about 30 feet (9 meters) high, crashed into the lighthouse. The force of the ice was so strong that it knocked the entire house off its piles. The first Choptank River Light was completely destroyed.
The Second Choptank River Light
After the first lighthouse was destroyed, people needed a new one. Instead of building a brand new structure, they came up with a clever idea.
A Lighthouse on the Move
They decided to reuse the house from another lighthouse called the Cherrystone Bar Light. This lighthouse had been turned off in 1919. In 1921, workers carefully moved the entire lighthouse house by barge (a flat-bottomed boat) across the water. They placed it on a new foundation of six strong piles.
A Unique Lighthouse in the Bay
This made the second Choptank River Light very special. It was the only working lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay that had been moved from one location to another! It continued to guide ships for many years.
Deactivation of the Lighthouse
The second Choptank River Light served its purpose until 1964. At that time, many old lighthouses were being replaced by modern navigation aids. The lighthouse house was taken apart, or "dismantled." A simple metal tower, called a skeleton tower, was put on the old piles to mark the spot instead.
Visiting a Replica Lighthouse
Even though the original Choptank River Light is no longer there, you can still experience its history! A replica (a copy) of the second lighthouse was built in Cambridge, Maryland. It stands proudly on the waterfront.
This replica lighthouse was officially opened on September 22, 2012. Today, it is open for tours. You can step inside and imagine what life was like for the lighthouse keepers who once lived and worked there. It's a great way to learn about the important role lighthouses played in guiding ships safely.
