Touring the Chesapeake's Lighthouses

Lighthouses dot the Chesapeake’s shores, serving as beacons for ships in the night. From Concord Point Lighthouse in Havre de Grace all the way to Fort Monroe’s Old Point Comfort Lighthouse, there are nearly a dozen lights that you can tour to explore the Chesapeake’s rich maritime history.

Take off from the Annapolis Maritime Museum to Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse, one of the most recognizable structures on the Chesapeake Bay. The lighthouse’s unique construction is called a “screwpile light,” named so because it stands on seven iron legs screwed into the Bay’s muddy bottom.

Although more than 40 screwpile lights were built here in the later half of the 19th century, today only four remain: Thomas Point, the Hooper Strait Lighthouse at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, the Drum Point Lighthouse at Calvert Marine Museum, and Seven Foot Knoll Light in Baltimore.

The rest of the Chesapeake’s lighthouses hold even more fascinating facts for you to discover. Did you know that Turkey Point Lighthouse, part of Elk Neck State Park, has had more female lightkeepers than any other lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay? Down on St. Clements Island, the Blakistone Island Light that stands today is actually a replica of the island’s original lighthouse, which was the target of a Confederate raid during the Civil War. And with so many paranormal reportings, the lighthouse at Point Lookout State Park has been dubbed the most haunted light in America.

If you love lighthouses and want a fun adventure on the water, then navigate your way to one of the top places for touring the Chesapeake’s lighthouses.