Sharps Island Light
Encyclopedia
The Sharps Island Light is the third lighthouse
to stand nearly 3 miles (5 km) south-southwest from the southern end of Tilghman Island in Maryland
's Chesapeake Bay
. The structure is best known today for evoking the Leaning Tower of Pisa
, a condition caused by an ice floe in 1977.
The first lighthouse was built on Sharps Island in 1838, but due to the island's erosion it was moved in 1848. This was replaced with a screwpile lighthouse in 1866 near the original location of the first structure.
The second lighthouse lasted until 1881 when it was forced off its foundations by an ice floe. It floated nearly five miles down the Chesapeake—with its keepers still inside—until it ran aground, allowing the men to escape unharmed.
The current light, a sparkplug lighthouse
, was constructed in 1882 with a concrete caisson
foundation and a 35-foot (10.7 m) cast iron
tower. The fourth-order Fresnel lens
was replaced with a 250 mm lens in 1977; the focal plane is 54 feet (16.5 m) above sea level. The tower includes an integral dwelling and was manned until 1938 when the United States Coast Guard
automated the light. Leaning by about 15° since it was ice-damaged in 1977, the structure is picturesque, but in poor condition.
The Sharps Island Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
(reference # 82002821) on July 22, 1982. It is one of the many historic features along Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
.
It is also on the Lighthouse Digest
Doomsday List
of endangered lighthouses.
As of 2006, the lighthouse was a candidate for sale under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act
. It was deactivated in January 2010.
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....
to stand nearly 3 miles (5 km) south-southwest from the southern end of Tilghman Island 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...
's 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...
. The structure is best known today for evoking the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Leaning Tower of Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa or simply the Tower of Pisa is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa...
, a condition caused by an ice floe in 1977.
The first lighthouse was built on Sharps Island in 1838, but due to the island's erosion it was moved in 1848. This was replaced with a screwpile lighthouse in 1866 near the original location of the first structure.
The second lighthouse lasted until 1881 when it was forced off its foundations by an ice floe. It floated nearly five miles down the Chesapeake—with its keepers still inside—until it ran aground, allowing the men to escape unharmed.
The current light, a sparkplug lighthouse
Sparkplug lighthouse
A sparkplug lighthouse, sometimes known as a bug light, is a type of caisson lighthouse so named because of its shape. Generally speaking, a sparkplug lighthouse consists of a three-story living area, with the lantern on top; the whole is then placed upon a concrete or metal caisson. The...
, was constructed in 1882 with a concrete caisson
Caisson (engineering)
In geotechnical engineering, a caisson is a retaining, watertight structure used, for example, to work on the foundations of a bridge pier, for the construction of a concrete dam, or for the repair of ships. These are constructed such that the water can be pumped out, keeping the working...
foundation and a 35-foot (10.7 m) cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
tower. The fourth-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 replaced with a 250 mm lens in 1977; the focal plane is 54 feet (16.5 m) above sea level. The tower includes an integral dwelling and was manned until 1938 when the United States 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...
automated the light. Leaning by about 15° since it was ice-damaged in 1977, the structure is picturesque, but in poor condition.
The Sharps Island Light was listed on 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...
(reference # 82002821) on July 22, 1982. It is one of the many historic features along Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail is a series of water routes in the United States extending approximately along the Chesapeake Bay, the nation's largest estuary, and its tributaries in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and in the District of Columbia...
.
It is also on the Lighthouse Digest
Lighthouse Digest
Lighthouse Digest is a specialty magazine for lighthouse and maritime history enthusiasts published in East Machias, Maine. Launched in May, 1992, by FogHorn Publishing, it is dedicated to preserving lighthouse history, current and yesteryear, for future generations.-Scope:Coverage includes...
Doomsday List
Doomsday List
The Doomsday List is a list of endangered lighthouses compiled by Lighthouse Digest magazine. The list usually consists of lighthouses in the United States, Guatemala, and Canada, but occasionally will include sites from other countries as well. Inclusion on the list raises awareness that a...
of endangered lighthouses.
As of 2006, the lighthouse was a candidate for sale under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act
National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act
The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 is American legislation creating a process for the transfer of federally-owned lighthouses into private hands...
. It was deactivated in January 2010.
Specialized further reading
- Hanks, Douglas, Coast Guard Eyes Lighthouse for Demolition Officials say, Sharp's Island beacon may cost more than it's worth (March, 1996) Lighthouse DigestLighthouse DigestLighthouse Digest is a specialty magazine for lighthouse and maritime history enthusiasts published in East Machias, Maine. Launched in May, 1992, by FogHorn Publishing, it is dedicated to preserving lighthouse history, current and yesteryear, for future generations.-Scope:Coverage includes...
.
External links
- Aerial photographs at Marinas.com.
- Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network, Sharps Island Light.
- Chesapeake Lights, U.S. Lighthouse Society, Sharps Island Light including timeline.
- Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse Project - Sharps Island Light
- Satellite view at Google mapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
.