Concord Point Light
Encyclopedia
Concord Point Light is a lighthouse
in Havre de Grace, Maryland
, overlooking the point where the Susquehanna River
flows into the Chesapeake Bay
, an area of increasing navigational traffic at the time it was constructed in 1827. It was built by John Donahoo
who built many lighthouses in Maryland
. It is the most northerly lighthouse in Maryland and the oldest continuously-operated lighthouse in Maryland.
. The walls are 31 inches (78.7 cm) thick at the base and narrow to 18 inches (45.7 cm) at the parapet. John Donahoo
also built the keeper's dwelling (known as the O'Neill House) across the street.
The lantern was originally lit with 9 whale oil
lamps with 16 inches (40.6 cm) tin
reflectors. In 1854, a sixth-order Fresnel lens
was installed. This was later upgraded to a fifth-order Fresnel lens. The lighthouse was automated in 1920.
at Concord Point from 1827 to the mid-1900s. The first O'Neill, John, defended the site of the lighthouse during the War of 1812
. Local documents describe the lighthouse area as being "seriously blighted" by 1924, and apparently remained that way for many years. The lighthouse was decommissioned by the Coast Guard
in 1975 and soon after that the lens was stolen. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976. Extensive restoration began in 1979, and is ongoing, with plans to turn the old keeper's dwelling into a museum.
The lighthouse is maintained by The Friends of Concord Point Lighthouse. The tower is open to visitors Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 1:00 p.m. until 5 p.m., May through October. The grounds are open year-round.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
in Havre de Grace, Maryland
Havre de Grace, Maryland
Havre de Grace is a city in Harford County, Maryland, United States. Located at the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the head of the Chesapeake Bay, Havre de Grace is named after the port city of Le Havre, France, which was first named Le Havre de Grâce, meaning in French "Harbor of Grace." As...
, overlooking the point where the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
flows into the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
, an area of increasing navigational traffic at the time it was constructed in 1827. It was built by John Donahoo
John Donahoo
John Donahoo was a lighthouse builder active in Maryland for much of the first half of the nineteenth century....
who built many lighthouses in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. It is the most northerly lighthouse in Maryland and the oldest continuously-operated lighthouse in Maryland.
Description
Concord Point Light is a 36 feet (10.97 m) tower that was built in 1827. It is the second oldest tower lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay and the oldest continuously-operated lighthouse in Maryland. The lighthouse is constructed of Port Deposit graniteGranite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
. The walls are 31 inches (78.7 cm) thick at the base and narrow to 18 inches (45.7 cm) at the parapet. John Donahoo
John Donahoo
John Donahoo was a lighthouse builder active in Maryland for much of the first half of the nineteenth century....
also built the keeper's dwelling (known as the O'Neill House) across the street.
The lantern was originally lit with 9 whale oil
Whale oil
Whale oil is the oil obtained from the blubber of various species of whales, particularly the three species of right whale and the bowhead whale prior to the modern era, as well as several other species of baleen whale...
lamps with 16 inches (40.6 cm) tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
reflectors. In 1854, a sixth-order Fresnel lens
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...
was installed. This was later upgraded to a fifth-order Fresnel lens. The lighthouse was automated in 1920.
History
The O'Neill family served as keepersLighthouse keeper
A lighthouse keeper is the person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Keepers were needed to trim the wicks, replenish fuel, wind clockworks and perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning...
at Concord Point from 1827 to the mid-1900s. The first O'Neill, John, defended the site of the lighthouse during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Local documents describe the lighthouse area as being "seriously blighted" by 1924, and apparently remained that way for many years. The lighthouse was decommissioned by the Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
in 1975 and soon after that the lens was stolen. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976. Extensive restoration began in 1979, and is ongoing, with plans to turn the old keeper's dwelling into a museum.
The lighthouse is maintained by The Friends of Concord Point Lighthouse. The tower is open to visitors Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 1:00 p.m. until 5 p.m., May through October. The grounds are open year-round.
See also
- Lighthouses in Maryland
- Lighthouses in the United StatesLighthouses in the United StatesThis is a list of lighthouses in the United States. The United States has had approximately a thousand lights as well as light towers, range lights, and pier head lights...