The Chesapeake Bay’s Thomas Point Shoal Light stands atop metal posts screwed into the bay’s bottom.
The original 1825 onshore stone tower on Thomas Point was replaced in 1838 due to poor resistance against point erosion.
In 1875, Congress opted for a screw-pile light, and Thomas Point Shoal Light was erected, illuminated for the first time in November that year.
To secure the structure, cast iron beams drove 12 feet into the bay’s bottom.
Enduring considerable battering, winter ice dislodged and destroyed the original lens in 1877.
Additional supports were introduced to the screw-pile foundation for stability after lens replacement.
By 1964, Thomas Point Shoal Light became the last manned lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay, automated in 1986.
As of 2021, it remained the last unaltered screw-pile cottage-type lighthouse on its original foundation in the Chesapeake Bay, symbolizing Maryland and its rich history.
