The Tallest Lighthouse in Virginia Is a Towering 191-Foot Behemoth

With miles of coastline, Virginia is home to some sweeping ocean views, magnificent bays, and fun beach towns. One area with plenty of beach style and charm is Cape Charles, Virginia. It is located on the Chesapeake Bay and has long been a notable landmark to mariners coming into this area by sea and a popular destination for visitors looking for some laid-back beach fun. The tallest lighthouse in Virginia is the Cape Charles Light at 191 feet.

The History of Cape Charles Light

The first Cape Charles Light was constructed in 1828. It was just under 60 feet tall and still a major navigational beacon in the area. This lighthouse is located on Smith Island, the first of the islands and inlets of Virginia’s eastern shore. It marks the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. This has been a major trading port for hundreds of years. The addition of the lighthouse in 1828 was important to mark the entrance to the Bay and ensure that mariners stayed clear of the islands of the Eastern Shore.

However, it wasn’t nearly tall enough for its location and Virginia erected a new lighthouse in the same location that was 150 feet tall. The new tower, costing roughly $35,000, was built in 1860 but Confederate troops raided the area during the civil war, taking materials from the lighthouse. It needed an additional $20,000 in 1864 to actually complete and get the lighthouse functional. It was lit in 1864.

The Cast Iron Lighthouse

In 1889, the lighthouse was condemned due to erosion. It was built too close to the shore, which was eroding significantly each year. The lighthouse was in such bad shape that when it was time to build a new one in 1895, a completely new structure was completed. This time, it was built out of cast iron and located further inland. The new lighthouse was stronger and better suited to the terrain.

The lighthouse is a skeleton design with support beams and structures visible on the outside of a central staircase. There are 216 stairs that lead up to the main generator room. There is another room above the generator room. Today, the entire lighthouse is inaccessible and not kept up. While it is the tallest lighthouse in Virginia, it is no longer used as a navigational aid.

The skeleton of the lighthouse is painted white and makes up the majority of the visible structure. The generator and watch rooms are painted black. During the day, you can clearly see the Cape Charles Light from the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. It is even visible from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

Cape Charles Light is the second-tallest lighthouse in the United States. The only light that is taller is Cape Hatteras Light in North Carolina, which only takes the title by less than 20 feet.

The Fresnel Lens

Many lighthouses used a design called a Fresnel lens to create a powerful lens with less material. It uses concentric circles to make the light more powerful and directed. The design has been in use since the 1800s. Now, lighthouses are automated and many use more modern technology.

The original Fresnel lens from the Cape Charles Light was replaced in 1963. the original Fresnel lens was preserved and is on display as part of the Maritime Museum in nearby Newport News, Virginia. The lighthouse was officially decommissioned by the Coast Guard, the service responsible for monitoring and maintaining navigational beacons like lighthouses, in 2019.

Can I Visit Cape Charles Light?

Unfortunately, you can’t visit Cape Charles Light. It is owned by the Coast Guard and is not open to the public. You can enjoy breathtaking views of the lighthouse from the nearby nature preserve that is home to many wildlife species in the area. You can see the lighthouse from the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, located in the town of Cape Charles.

There are plenty of fun things to do in the park, including boating, hiking, fishing, birdwatching, and photography. There are even wildlife blinds for photography that allow you to view and photograph animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.

The Visitor’s Center is the best place to begin because it includes information about the park as well as interactive exhibits. You can learn about monarch butterflies, which are important to the ecosystem and migrate through the wildlife refuge. There are also examples of birds and other creatures that you may encounter on the Eastern Shore. You can pick up guides that will help you with identification during your adventures. Access to the refuge is free, although there are areas that are not open to the public in order to preserve and protect the wildlife that live there.

What Animals Live Near Cape Charles Light?

Many of the most notable residents of the Eastern Shore Wildlife Refuge are migratory. These include the monarch butterfly, snow geese, and some loons. Others, including bald eagles, great blue herons, and numerous species of ducks, stay in the area year-round. White-tailed deer and box turtles are also common in the area.

Where Is the Cape Charles Light Located on a Map?

The Cape Charles Lighthouse is on Smith Island just north of the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay. Smith Island is at the tip of the peninsula across from the Baltimore/Washington, DC are that is split between Delaware and Virginia. The lighthouse is northeast of Norfolk, Virginia and north of Virginia Beach.

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