Deepwater Shoals Light

The Deepwater Shoals Light was a lighthouse located in the James River upstream from Newport News, Virginia.

Deepwater Shoals Light
Undated photograph of Deepwater Shoals Light (USCG)
Map
LocationOff Fort Eustis in the James River, northwest of Newport News, Virginia
Coordinates37°8′11.46″N 76°38′12.48″W / 37.1365167°N 76.6368000°W / 37.1365167; -76.6368000
Tower
Constructed1855 Edit this on Wikidata
Foundationwood-pile
Constructioncast-iron/wood
Height27 feet (8.2 m)
Shapehexagonal house
Light
First lit1855
Deactivated1936
Lenssixth-order Fresnel lens
Characteristicfixed white

History

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This light was erected in 1855 to mark the western edge of the channel. Ice damaged the light in the following year, and again in 1867; in the latter case the light had to be rebuilt completely, at which time the light was upgraded to a sixth-order Fresnel from the previous masthead light. During the Civil War the light was extinguished by confederate forces; relit in 1862, the Lighthouse Board reconsidered and removed the lighting apparatus to Fort Monroe for safekeeping.

Decommissioning came in 1936, and the house was torn down in 1966. A steel tower light has been erected on the old iron foundation.

Notes

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References

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  • "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: Virginia" (PDF). United States Coast Guard Historian's Office.
  • Deepwater Shoals Light, from the Chesapeake Chapter of the United States Lighthouse Society
  • de Gast, Robert (1973). The Lighthouses of the Chesapeake. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 150. ISBN 9780801815485.