Seven Foot Knoll Light facts for kids
.jpg) |
|
| Seven Foot Knoll Light at its original location (1900) | |
 Seven Foot Knoll Light
Location in Maryland
Seven Foot Knoll Light
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | originally at the mouth of the Patapsco River in the Chesapeake Bay; relocated to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°17′01″N 76°36′19″W / 39.2836°N 76.6054°W (current) 39°09′18″N 76°24′33″W / 39.1551°N 76.4091°W (original) |
| Year first lit | 1856 |
| Automated | 1949 |
| Deactivated | 1988 |
| Foundation | screw-pile |
| Construction | wrought-iron (originally cast-iron) |
| Tower shape | cylindrical house |
| Height | 40 ft (12 m) |
| Original lens | fourth-order Fresnel lens |
| Range | 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) |
| ARLHS number | USA-750H |
The Seven Foot Knoll Light is a historic lighthouse built in 1855. It is the oldest screw-pile lighthouse in Maryland. This special lighthouse once stood in the Chesapeake Bay. It helped ships find their way safely. Later, it was moved to Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Now, it is a cool museum exhibit for everyone to visit.
Contents
Where the Lighthouse Was and Is Now
The Seven Foot Knoll Light was first built on a rocky area. This area was called Seven Foot Knoll. It was located at the mouth of the Patapsco River. This river leads to Baltimore Harbor.
The lighthouse helped guide ships into Baltimore. In 1997, the lighthouse moved to the Baltimore Maritime Museum. This museum is now called the Historic Ships in Baltimore museum. You can visit the lighthouse today at the south end of Pier 5.
How the Lighthouse Was Built
The lighthouse was made from strong, rolled iron. It had three main parts. The first part was the gallery deck. This deck was about 9 feet above the water.
The second part was the house. This is where the lighthouse keeper and their family lived. It sat right on top of the gallery deck. The third part was the light beacon. It was at the very top of the lighthouse.
A special light, called a 4th order Fresnel lens, was inside. This light could be seen from 12 miles away.
History of the Lighthouse
People first asked for a lighthouse here in 1848. Money was set aside for it in 1851. Building started in 1854. The lighthouse was a round structure. It was made of strong iron plates.
The total cost to build it was $43,000. Most parts were made in Baltimore. They were then shipped by boat to Seven Foot Knoll. Workers put the parts together there.
Ice was a big problem for lighthouses like this. Ice damaged the lighthouse in 1884 and 1894. To protect it, workers placed many rocks around its base.
.jpg)
In 1949, the light became automatic. This meant a keeper no longer had to live there. The lighthouse slowly fell apart. A modern tower eventually replaced it.
In 1988, the lighthouse was moved from Seven Foot Knoll. A huge crane carried it to Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The city received it as a gift. On August 22, 1989, the lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historical site. Many people helped fix up the lighthouse. They wanted it to look new again before it opened to the public.
The lighthouse is now part of the Baltimore National Heritage Area. It is also part of the Historic American Engineering Record.
Amazing Rescues by a Keeper
One lighthouse keeper, Thomas Jefferson Steinhise, was a hero. He worked at the lighthouse from 1930 to 1941. In 1933, he helped save a tugboat crew.
The tugboat Point Breeze was caught in a bad storm. Winds were 90 miles per hour. Waves were 15 feet high. The crew had to leave their boat.
Steinhise took his small motorboat out into the storm. He found the tugboat's distress whistle. He pulled six crew members from the water. Five of them survived because of his bravery. Steinhise received the Silver Lifesaving Medal for his actions. He is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery. His grave has a special marker from the United States Lighthouse Service.
Lighthouse Keepers
Here is a list of the main civilian keepers who worked at the Seven Foot Knoll Light:
| Name | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Samuel Ayer | 1855–1856 | |
| George McCutchen | 1856–1860 | |
| George Seiber | 1860–1861 | |
| E. B. Lucas | 1861–1865 | |
| Thomas Cannon | 1865–1867 | |
| John H. Wills | 1867–1869 | |
| Edward B. Lucas | 1869–1870 | |
| Thomas B. Davis | 1870–1872 | |
| William Moody | 1872–1873 | |
| Joel W. McDonald | 1873–1874 | |
| James T. Bowling | 1874–1879 | |
| John C. Moffett | 1879–1881 | |
| John Peterson | 1881–1886 | |
| Henry Corson | 1886–1891 | |
| Christopher C. Butler | 1891–1892 | |
| William K. Slacum | 1892–1894 | |
| William R. Schoenfelder | 1894–1898 | |
| John Berentsen | 1898–1903 | |
| John H. Grain | 1903–1916 | |
| John L. Ennis | 1916-at least 1919 | |
| James W. Simpson | at least 1921 | |
| Otho Bounds | 1924–1930 | |
| Thomas J. Steinhise | 1930–1941 | Rescued crew of tug Point Breeze. Awarded Silver Lifesaving Medal. |
