Jones Point Light facts for kids
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 Jones Point Light
Location in Alexandria
Jones Point Light
Location in Northern Virginia
Jones Point Light
Location in Virginia
Jones Point Light
Location in the United States
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| Location | Alexandria, Virginia |
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| Coordinates | 38°47′25.4″N 77°2′26.3″W / 38.790389°N 77.040639°W |
| Year first lit | 1856 |
| Automated | 1919 |
| Deactivated | 1926-1995 |
| Foundation | Natural / Emplaced |
| Construction | Wood |
| Tower shape | Conical lantern on square house |
| Original lens | Fifth order Fresnel lens |
The Jones Point Light is a small lighthouse located on the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia. It was built in 1855. This lighthouse looks like a small, one-story house with a light on top. Its main job was to warn naval ships as they got close to the Washington Navy Yard.
The lighthouse stopped working in 1926. A smaller steel tower took its place for about ten years. After being dark for many years, the Jones Point Light was turned back on in 1995 by a private group. However, it was later turned off again when its ownership changed. As of 2017, the only working lighthouse on the Potomac River is the Fort Washington Point Lighthouse. It is located about five miles downriver.
Location and History
The Jones Point Light is found at Jones Point in Alexandria. It is part of Jones Point Park. You can walk up to the lighthouse, but you cannot go inside the building.
Boundary Cornerstone
The lighthouse is right next to where Hunting Creek meets the Potomac River. In 1791-1792, a survey began at this spot. This survey was to mark the boundaries of the District of Columbia. A special stone, called the south cornerstone, from this survey is still in the seawall next to the lighthouse.
Historic Recognition
In 1980, the lighthouse and the cornerstone were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. The lighthouse is also listed in the Library of Congress Historic American Buildings Survey. This listing includes drawings and old photos of the lighthouse before it was fixed up.
Gallery
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The lighthouse and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, seen from the bank of the Potomac River at Belle Haven
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Fifth-order Fresnel lens once used at the lighthouse, on display at The Lyceum, Alexandria's history museum
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Jones Point Lighthhouse in 1996
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Skeleton tower at the point, which replaced the earlier structure
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Plaque placed in the sea wall next marking the south cornerstone.
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The boundary cornerstone is located in the lighthouse's sea wall.
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A close-up of the cornerstone.
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Jones Point Light, Jones Point, Alexandria, Virginia, in the spring of 2017
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Images for kids
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Jones Point Lighthouse, Looking Southeast
