Notes:
(1) Old Cape Henry Lighthouse was built to guide vessels entering the Chesapeake Bay.
     The Seventeenth Lighthouse established in America and second lighthouse built by the Federal Government.

     A signal on Cape Henry was recommended as early as 1627 yet the early colonists directed all their efforts on survival.  In 1721, Colonial Virginia’s Royal Lieutenant governor, Alexander Spotswood urged the colony of Maryland to jointly petition the British Board of Trade for a light-house at Cape Henry.  By 1727, shipping commerce was a profitable trade to colonial Virgina and the House of Burgesses passed a resolution to establish a Light.  Further action was postponed until 1774 because Maryland, Virginia, the British Government, and British merchants could not reach an agreement.

     In 1774, construction of the Tower’s foundation commenced after the colonies of Virginia and Maryland agreed to build the Lighthouse. Sandstones transported to the construction site were stockpiled due to the lack of additional funds and construction was delayed by the Revolutionary War.

     Dec 18, 1789: A letter from Virginia Governor Randolph to President Washington stated the State some years ago had sufficient quantity of materials to build a lighthouse placed at Cape Henry.

     Mar 26, 1790: Congress appropriated $15,000 to complete the construction and President George Washington authorized the 90-feet high Stone Tower.  On March 31st, 1791, John McComb Jr., an architect and stonemason from the State of New York, signed the contract to build Old Cape Henry Lighthouse.  In 1791, construction was restarted and was completed in 1792 by the United States government.

      The Lighthouse was First Lit using Oil Lamps burning fish oil. The Light’s fuel was changed to sperm oil, colza oil, lard oil, and finally mineral oil (kerosene).  In 1841, the Lantern was glazed with plate glass using twelve 24 by 16-inch panes on each side of the octagonal Lantern.  The Lantern was illuminated by 18 brass burners fitted with oil heaters and 20-inch reflectors.

      During the Civil War, the Lantern was destroyed by Confederate raiders and later repaired in 1863.  The Lighthouse was protected by a military guard from Fort Monroe.

      In 1872, a routine inspection revealed large cracks had developed in the sandstone walls.  The report recommended closing the lighthouse due to the structural integrity, stability, and safety of the Old Tower.  In addition, a more powerful First-order seacoast Light was recommended and $75,000 was appropriated for a new Tower on June 20, 1878.

      In 1879, construction was started on a new 163-feet high Tower using cast-iron plates lined with brick. The new Lighthouse was completed in 1881 at a total cost of $150,000.  The Tower’s distinctive daymark is a checkerboard pattern of alternating black and white vertical stripes painted on the cast iron plates to distinguish New Cape Henry Light from Cape Charles Light (White Tower) to the north and Currituck Beach Light (natural Red brick Tower) to the south in North Carolina.

      In 1923, the active Light was converted to electricity.
In 1929, the New Cape Henry Light was third* Lighthouse to use a radiobeacon with the antenna located about 80 yards from the tower.

*The second use of radiobeacons in Lighthouses yet the third radiobeacon was installed at New Cape Henry Light.
In 1921, the first radiobeacons were installed in the Fire Island Lighthouse, the Sea Girt Lighthouse, and the Ambrose Lightship.  Each Light Station’s Morse Code identification signal can be transmitted up to 150 nautical miles enabling mariners to determine their position by radio triangulation during poor visibility using a direction-finding receiver.

(2) In 1857, the optic was refitted with a First-order dioptric Fresnel Lens. Ý In 1881, the Fresnel Lens was moved to the new Tower, and the old tower was used as a day-mark and a basis for coast survey triangulation.

      Old Cape Henry Light was restored and relit in 1972. The “bird cage” lantern, damaged by Hurricane Barbara in 1953, was reconstructed using bronze and copper with eight sash windows on each face.  From March 15 to Oct. 31, the Light is illuminated by The U.S. Army.

(3) On April 29, 1896, the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities placed a tablet on the Old Tower marking the first landing of the English colonists on Virginia’s soil. Old Cape Henry Light was the forerunner of the Cape Henry Memorial.

(4) In 1922, the Characteristic was changed from Fixed White to a distinctive group flashing light.  The current Characteristic, Mo (U) W 20s (R sector) [1s fl 2s ec.; 1s fl 2s ec.; 7s fl 7s ec.], Flashes the letter “U” in Morse Code every 20 seconds (dididah or dot-dot-dash pattern).  The Characteristic also includes a Red Sector (from 154° to 233°) covering the shoals outside the Cape and the middle ground inside the bay.

(5) A 4-story Harbor Pilot Control Tower operated by Maryland and Virginia Pilots Association is located at the Light Station.  From the tower, ships are tracked approaching the Chesapeake Bay using modern electronic navigational aids.  A Harbor pilot boards the ship 7-miles offshore in hazardous open water and guides the ship through dangerous Chesapeake channels to harbors within the Bay.

      A U.S. Coast Guard Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) site was installed at the Light Station and has been operational since January 30, 1996.  DGPS was designed to improve guiding maritime transportation approaching harbors as well as shipping channels within harbors.  The DGPS beacon narrows the satellite fix, making the signal ten times more accurate than a GPS signal.

      Interestingly, both the old and new navigational aids work together.  Even though pilots and mariners use the modern directional finders, the Lighthouse continues to be a visual aid reassuring navigators of their location.

(6) Directions From the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel ( intersection of US 13 and US 60):
Drive east on US Route 60 (Shore Drive for 5-miles) to the Fort Story sign and turn Left onto Atlantic Avenue. At the Gate House entrance to Fort Story, the guard may ask for ID.  Drive 2.4 miles to the parking area for Old Cape Henry Light and the New Tower is across the street.