A Chesapeake Bay lighthouse is in trouble, but you can help

By Michelle Basch
August 2, 2019 | 4:35 AM

The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse is Maryland's most recognizable lighthouse, and it needs serious repairs. — The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse is Maryland's most recognizable lighthouse, and as much a symbol of the state as blue crabs and black-eyed Susans. The hexagon-shaped, red-roofed, screwpile lighthouse sits off Annapolis at the mouth of the South River, with large piles of rocks on two sides to help protect it from ice.

<p style="text-align: center;">The Thomas Point lighthouse is a National Historical Landmark.</p> — The Thomas Point lighthouse is a National Historical Landmark.

<p style="text-align: center;">The lighthouse has rocks on two sides to protect it from ice.</p> — Built in 1875, the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse is one of only 10 lighthouses in America designated as <a href="https://www.thomaspointlighthouse.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Historic Landmarks</a>. In 2004, the City of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, the Annapolis Maritime Museum and the nonprofit U.S. Lighthouse Society teamed up to buy the structure from the federal government and ensure that it was preserved for future generations.

<p style="text-align: center;">A view of the lighthouse from the dock.</p> — A view of the lighthouse from the dock.

<p style="text-align: center;">The foundation is showing lots of rust and decay.</p> — The foundation is showing lots of rust and decay.

<p style="text-align: center;">The metal supports need work.</p> — For 15 years, U.S. Lighthouse Society volunteers have been meticulously restoring the Thomas Point lighthouse to how it looked before 1939, when lighthouse keepers with the U.S. Lighthouse Service began to be replaced by members of the U.S. Coast Guard. The metal structures underneath that hold up and stabilize the lighthouse are in urgent need of replacement.

<p style="text-align: center;">A cracked wooden beam on the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse.</p> — After a bidding process, a contractor was hired to do the work; meanwhile, a cracked wooden beam was found on the first level that also needs to be fixed.

<p style="text-align: center;">One of the gorgeous views from the lighthouse's top level.</p> — So far a total of about $200,000 in grants and donations has been collected to pay for repairs, but it's not enough. John Potvin, of the U.S. Lighthouse Society, the lighthouse's preservation foreman, said it will take about $325,000 "to get the tie rods and the structure replaced." Potvin added, "We have a private donor who wants to remain anonymous who has agreed to put up $50,000 in matching donations, so every dollar that is coming in right now is being matched by him."

<p style="text-align: center;">The light in the Thomas Point lighthouse.</p> — The light in the Thomas Point lighthouse.

<p style="text-align: center;">Another view from the first level.</p> — The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse is the only screwpile lighthouse left in its original location. Three others survive as part of Maryland museums in Baltimore, St. Michaels and Solomons Island. "Screwpiles are 20-foot-long poles that go into the bay bottom with a two-foot diameter screw on the end of it," Potvin said. "In the bay, it's pretty much a sandy or muddy bottom, so they're not going to run into any rocks. Whereas in the New England area, they have to build caisson lights because there are really no sandy bottoms for them to screw into."

<p style="text-align: center;">The foghorn at the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse.</p> — The foghorn at the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse.

<p style="text-align: center;">John Potvin of the U.S. Lighthouse Society looks at the lighthouse light.</p> — There used to be 40 screwpile lighthouses in the Chesapeake Bay. The design was chosen because it was inexpensive. "Back in 1875, this lighthouse would have cost about $18,000 to construct and put in place. In today's dollars, that's close to $880,000, but it was far less expensive than a caisson lighthouse that was about $30,000 to $35,000, which would be more like $1.5 million today," Potvin said.

<p style="text-align: center;">More rusting, rotting metal supports.</p> — More rusting, rotting metal supports.

<p style="text-align: center;">The parlor of the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse.</p> — The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse was automated in 1986, and is still in use for navigation today, even though most ships rely on GPS. "If you see this lighthouse from a distance and you're seeing red, that means you're about to approach a shoal. If you see white, that means you're in clear water," said Potvin.

<p style="text-align: center;">A view of the Bay Bridge from the boat Audacious, heading toward the lighthouse.</p> — A view of the Bay Bridge from the Audacious, heading toward the lighthouse.

<p style="text-align: center;">A view on the boat Audacious, heading from Annapolis to the Thomas Point lighthouse.</p> — <a href="https://uslhs.org/about/thomas-point-shoal-lighthouse/tours" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Public tours of the lighthouse</a>, including boat rides to and from, are available in the summer and fall and leave from the Annapolis Maritime Museum. Money collected from the tours helps with the lighthouse's preservation.

<p style="text-align: center;">If you look close, you can see the initials that people have carved into the rocks around the lighthouse over the decades.</p> — If you look close, you can see the initials that people have carved into the rocks around the lighthouse over the decades.

<p style="text-align: center;">The fog signal at the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse.</p> — The fog signal at the Thomas Point lighthouse.

<p style="text-align: center;">You can tour the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse in summer and fall.</p> — You can also help by joining the volunteers who work at the lighthouse. "We always encourage people to come out as a volunteer; in fact, we've picked up a lot of new volunteers this year," Potvin said.

<p style="text-align: center;">Stairs and a ladder on the second level allowing access to the other levels.</p> — Stairs and a ladder on the second level allowing access to the other levels.

<p style="text-align: center;">The lighthouse's privy, or outhouse.</p> — The lighthouse's privy, or outhouse.

<p style="text-align: center;">The stove in the kitchen of the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse.</p> — Preservation work is usually done on the third Saturday of each month, and boat transportation is provided. Volunteers can do jobs such as cleaning, painting and minor carpentry at their own pace. "The more people that get involved, the better off we're all going to be," Potvin said. If you're interested, you can <a href="mailto:jpotvin48@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">email him</a>.

<p style="text-align: center;">You can volunteer to work on the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse.</p> — You can volunteer to work on the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse.

<p style="text-align: center;">The spiral staircase.</p> — The spiral staircase

<p style="text-align: center;">The lighthouse was built in 1875.</p> — The lighthouse was built in 1875.

<p style="text-align: center;">Another view out the window.</p> — Another view out the window.

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Maryland’s most recognizable lighthouse, built in 1875, is in disrepair, and you can help out with money or time.

A one-of-a-kind Chesapeake Bay lighthouse is in danger, but through an online fundraising drive, you can help save it.

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