Thimble Shoal Light facts for kids
 Thimble Shoal Light
Location in Virginia
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| Location | in the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia four miles ENE of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel |
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| Coordinates | 37°00′53″N 76°14′24″W / 37.0146°N 76.2399°W |
| Year first constructed | 1872 (first light) 1880 (second light) |
| Year first lit | 1914 |
| Automated | 1964 |
| Foundation | caisson |
| Construction | cast iron/concrete |
| Tower shape | Cylindrical |
| Markings / pattern | Red conical tower on brown cylindrical pier |
| Focal height | 55 feet (17 m) |
| Original lens | fourth order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | RB-355 aerobeacon |
| Range | 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi) |
| Characteristic | Flashing white, 10 sec |
| Admiralty number | J1416 |
| ARLHS number | USA-482 |
| USCG number | 2-9310 |
The Thimble Shoal Light is a special kind of lighthouse called a sparkplug lighthouse. It stands in the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, just north of the Hampton Roads shipping channel. This lighthouse is the third one built in this exact spot. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical landmark.
Contents
History of the Light
The First Lighthouse (1872-1880)
The very first lighthouse at Thimble Shoal was built in 1872. It was a screw-pile lighthouse, which means it stood on long metal piles screwed into the seabed. This lighthouse had six sides. It took the place of a lightship, which was a boat with a light on it that marked the spot before the lighthouse was built.
Sadly, this first lighthouse caught fire and was destroyed in 1880.
The Second Lighthouse (1880-1909)
After the fire, a new lighthouse was quickly built in the same year, 1880. It was placed on the old foundation. This was possible because a new lighthouse, originally meant for another place called Bells Rock Light, was ready to be used. Because of this, the light was only out of service for 55 days!
However, this second lighthouse had a lot of bad luck with ships.
- In 1891, a steamer ship crashed into it.
- In 1898, a coal barge hit it.
- Then, on December 27, 1909, a large sailing ship called the Malcolm Baxter, Jr. crashed into the lighthouse while being pulled by another boat. This crash badly damaged the lighthouse's base. It also knocked over the stove inside, which caused another fire that destroyed the lighthouse.
The Current Lighthouse (1914-Present)
The lighthouse you see today is a caisson light. It was built in 1914 right next to where the old ones stood. While the new lighthouse was being built, a temporary light was placed on the leftover parts of the old screw-pile foundation.
This current lighthouse is unique for the Chesapeake Bay area. It has diamond-shaped glass panes in its lantern room and round porthole windows. Unlike the earlier lighthouses, this one has had a much calmer history. It was made automatic in 1964, meaning it no longer needed people living there to operate it.
The broken parts of the old foundation stayed next to the lighthouse for many years until they were removed in the 2000s. Like most lighthouses, its original Fresnel lens (a special type of lens that makes the light very bright) has been taken out. This lens is now on display at the Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown, Virginia.
In 2005, the Thimble Shoal Light was sold at an auction to a private owner. However, it is still an active aid to navigation, helping ships find their way safely.
