Lambert Point Light
Encyclopedia
The Lambert Point Light was a small screwpile lighthouse in Norfolk, Virginia
; it was built in 1872.
The lighthouse was meant to serve the increased shipping traffic on the Elizabeth River
, and initially was designed with six piles. The plans were changed when five surplus piles were found; in the end the structure was square, and sat on these five piles. The building was painted brown, and showed
a red light from a fifth-order Fresnel lens
.
Within a few months the lighthouse had settled more than a foot on one side. The reason was never discovered, but it was believed that the missing sixth pile might have contributed to the problem. Eventually the structure sat at a tilt, with the west side about fourteen inches lower than the east. To stabilize the building, more piles were added to the foundation; at this time a dock and pier
were added to the station.
The lighthouse gradually became useless due to construction at the point, and eventually it was surrounded by piers and warehouses built by the Norfolk and Western Railroad. It was eventually suggested that a new lighthouse be built at Bush's Bluff, some miles upriver, and that this might supersede the light at Lamberts Point. This project failed, however, because a new lighthouse was deemed too expensive. The Lamberts Point Light was finally extinguished on December 31, 1892, the same year that Bush's Bluff was marked with a lightvessel
. The fog signal at the station was reestablished in 1901, and served for the next ten years. The building eventually collapsed sometime around 1911, and no trace of it remains.
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
; it was built in 1872.
The lighthouse was meant to serve the increased shipping traffic on the Elizabeth River
Elizabeth River (Virginia)
The Elizabeth River is a tidal estuary forming an arm of Hampton Roads harbor at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States. It is located along the southern side of the mouth of the James River, between the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk...
, and initially was designed with six piles. The plans were changed when five surplus piles were found; in the end the structure was square, and sat on these five piles. The building was painted brown, and showed
Characteristic light
A light characteristic is a graphic and text description of a navigational light sequence or colour displayed on a nautical chart or in a Light List with the chart symbol for a lighthouse, lightvessel, buoy or sea mark with a light on it. The graphic indicates how the real light beacon may be...
a red light from a fifth-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...
.
Within a few months the lighthouse had settled more than a foot on one side. The reason was never discovered, but it was believed that the missing sixth pile might have contributed to the problem. Eventually the structure sat at a tilt, with the west side about fourteen inches lower than the east. To stabilize the building, more piles were added to the foundation; at this time a dock and pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
were added to the station.
The lighthouse gradually became useless due to construction at the point, and eventually it was surrounded by piers and warehouses built by the Norfolk and Western Railroad. It was eventually suggested that a new lighthouse be built at Bush's Bluff, some miles upriver, and that this might supersede the light at Lamberts Point. This project failed, however, because a new lighthouse was deemed too expensive. The Lamberts Point Light was finally extinguished on December 31, 1892, the same year that Bush's Bluff was marked with a lightvessel
Lightvessel
A lightvessel, or lightship, is a ship which acts as a lighthouse. They are used in waters that are too deep or otherwise unsuitable for lighthouse construction...
. The fog signal at the station was reestablished in 1901, and served for the next ten years. The building eventually collapsed sometime around 1911, and no trace of it remains.