Perhaps the most photographed lighthouse
in The Chesapeake Bay, The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse is the last screwpile
structure left on its original site in the bay. It went into service on
November 27, 1875, to replace a light on the shore at Thomas Point at
the entrance to the South River. The Lighthouse Board thought that a light
on the shoal would better serve the shipping traffic in the bay. A screwpile
with a hexagonal 1-1/2-story building perched on the spidery legs, the
light's lantern rises out of the center of the building. During its early
years floating ice tipped over the fourth-order lens in the lantern. In
time heavy riprap was placed around the lighthouse to fend off the ice.
With its red roof and white sides this picturesque lighthouse is a fine
example of its type. The light and fog signal, both now automated, are
still active.
The fourth-order Fresnel lens was made by
"L. Sautter & Co" and consisted of four panels with five fixed elements
in each panel of the central drum lens with five fixed prisms in each panel
above the central drum and three fixed prisms in each panel below the central
drum. This lens has been removed and is located in the Commander's Office,
U.S. Coast Guard Activities, Baltimore. A 300mm acrylic lens sits on the
original cast-iron pedestal. There are two backup 250mm acrylic lenses mounted
on the roof, one on the southwest side and one on the northeast side. Both
have two red sectors to match the lantern room. Access to the lantern level
gallery is through an original cast-iron half door. The gallery deck is
made of flat seam sheet metal. The gallery wooden railing is identical in
design to the lower gallery rail. A smokestack through the roof is located
on the southwest side.
