Choptank River Light facts for kids
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| Undated photograph of Choptank River Light, Maryland (USCG) | |
 Choptank River Light
Location in Maryland
Choptank River Light
Location in the United States
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| Location | southeast of Bernoni Point at the mouth of the Tred Avon River, SE of Oxford, Maryland |
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| 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, in the Chesapeake Bay. What made it really unique was that its second building was moved from a different location in the bay.
Contents
History of the Choptank River Light
The First Lighthouse (1871-1918)
The very first lighthouse at this spot was built in 1871. Before that, a "lightship" (a boat with a light) helped guide ships. This first lighthouse was built by Francis A. Gibbons.
It was a screw-pile lighthouse, meaning it stood on long metal poles screwed into the riverbed. It had ten of these poles, similar to another lighthouse in Virginia.
The light inside was a "sixth-order Fresnel lens". This is a special type of lens that makes the light much brighter and easier to see. In 1881, the lens was upgraded to a "fifth-order" one, which was even stronger. This happened after ice pushed against the lighthouse, tilting it a little.
Sadly, in 1918, a huge amount of ice, about 30 feet (9 meters) high, crashed into the lighthouse. It knocked the entire building off its poles and destroyed it.
The Second Lighthouse (1921-1964)
After the first lighthouse was destroyed, people thought about building a new, stronger type of base. But instead, they decided to reuse a lighthouse building from another place!
They took the house from the Cherrystone Bar Light, which was no longer needed. This building was carefully moved by a barge (a flat boat) to the Choptank River. In 1921, it was placed on a new base with six strong poles. This made the Choptank River Light the only working lighthouse ever moved from one spot to another in the Chesapeake Bay.
This second lighthouse guided ships until 1964. At that time, many old lighthouses were being replaced. The Choptank River Light's house was taken apart. A simple metal tower with a light replaced it on the old poles.
A Replica Lighthouse Today
Even though the original lighthouse is gone, you can still see a replica (a copy) of the second Choptank River Lighthouse. It was built on the waterfront in Cambridge, Maryland. This replica is open for tours, so people can learn about its history. It was officially opened on September 22, 2012.
