Virginia - Old Point Comfort Lighthouse

The Old Point Comfort Lighthouse is located on Fort Monroe, VA. This octagonal shaped tower overlooks Hampton Roads Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay. It was built in 1802 of sandstone and stands 54-feet high. It's spiral staircase is made of hand-cut stone. Several oil lanterns originally provided the light which could be seen for approximately 14 miles out to sea. Years later, the oil lanterns were replaced with a fourth-order Fresnel lens. The lighthouse is the oldest standing structure at Fort Monroe.

During the War of 1812, the tower was used as a lookout by British invasion forces while they attacked Washington.

The adjacent house was the light-keeper's quarters. It was built in 1891 to replace the original keeper's dwelling. After the lighthouse was automated in 1975, keepers discontinued occupation of the house and it became property of the Army.

At the time of my visit here in 2000, the lighthouse was still an active navigational aid and property of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Virginia - New Cape Henry Lighthouse

The New Cape Henry Lighthouse is located 357 feet south east of the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse (Off picture - right) on Fort Story, VA, Military Reservation. More specific, it sits inside the Coast Guard Compound. This lighthouse was built in 1881 of cast-iron plates and stands 165-feet tall. The second-order Fresnel lens from the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse was removed and installed in this lighthouse. Its light had a focal plane of 157-feet and could be seen for almost 19 miles out to sea. In 1984 the light was replaced and the newer beacon automated .

This lighthouse has the most distinctive day-marks of any lighthouse in the world. The checkerboard markings of the octagonal tower alternate between white and black. Half way up the tower, the pattern changes from white to black making it appear as though the top half of the tower is slightly turned and misaligned with the bottom half. At the time of my visit here in 2000, this was an active light, and the lighthouse was not open to the public.