Cape Henry Light
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cape Henry Lighthouse | |
|---|---|
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| U.S. National Historic Landmark | |
 The New Cape Henry Lighthouse
|
|
  |
|
| Location: | Virginia Beach, Virginia |
| Coordinates: | 36°55′32″N 76°0′30″W / 36.92556°N 76.00833°W |
| Built/Founded: | Old Lighthouse, 1792; New lighthouse, 1881 |
| Architect: | Federal Government |
| Governing body: | Old, private non-profit; New, federal government |
| Added to NRHP: | October 15, 1966[1] |
| Designated NHL: | April 15, 1970[2] |
| NRHP Reference#: | 66000910 |
The Cape Henry Lighthouse has long been important for the large amount of ocean-going shipping traffic for the harbors, its rivers, and shipping headed to ports on the Chesapeake Bay. It was the first lighthouse authorized by the U.S. government, dating from 1792. It was also the first federal construction project under the Constitution, for an original contract amount of $15,200 (an additional $2,500 was required to finish the lighthouse). See also the "Boston Light" article for more on lighthouse firsts.
In 1798, Benjamin Latrobe visited Cape Henry Lighthouse and described it as "an octangular truncated pyramid of eight sides, rising 90 feet to the light..."[3] The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse is 26 feet in diameter at its base, and 16 feet at its top.[4]
In the 1870s, concerns about the condition and safety of the Old Lighthouse at Cape Henry led to the construction of the New Cape Henry Lighthouse (pictured to the right) in 1881, which stands 350 feet to the southeast of the original.[5] The lighthouse was fully automated in 1983 and remains in use today.[6]
The older lighthouse was acquired in 1930 by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (now APVA Preservation Virginia). A brick lining and an iron stairway have been added to the interior. The lighthouse is open to the public and a fine view can be enjoyed from its observation platform. It was designated a National Historic Landmark on January 29, 1964. In 2002 the American Society of Civil Engineers designated the lighthouse a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.
The lighthouses are located in the city of Virginia Beach within the boundaries of Fort Story, an Army base. The Cape Henry Memorial is adjacent to the lighthouses.
The Cape Henry Lighthouses were backdrops for a scene in the 2001 movie Hearts in Atlantis, based on the 1999 Stephen King novel.
[edit] Gallery
 |
This section looks like an image gallery. Wikipedia policy discourages galleries of random images of the article subject; please edit or remove the section accordingly, moving freely licensed images to Wikimedia Commons if not already hosted there. |
 The newer Light Station and the Old Lighthouse at Cape Henry. |
 1905 photo of both lighthouses from a different angle. U.S. Library of Congress |
 Two lighthouses at Cape Henry |
 U.S. Coast Guard Archive |
[edit] References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2007-01-23. http://www.nr.nps.gov/.
- ^ "Cape Henry Lighthouse". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=689&ResourceType=Structure. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ Lighthouse Friends Old Cape Henry description
- ^ http://www.nps.gov/history/maritime/nhl/capehenr.htm
- ^ http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=448
- ^ Catherine E. Dean, "The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse", 2006, APVA Preservation Virginia, ISBN=189146848-0
[edit] External links
Media related to Cape Henry lighthouses at Wikimedia Commons- Lighthousefriends: Cape Henry Lighthouse
- Cape Henry Lighthouse webpage on the APVA Preservation Virginia website
- Cape Henry Lighthouse info
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||
