Point Lookout Lighthouse Open for Tours
The historic Point Lookout Lighthouse at the southern tip of Point Lookout State Park in St. Mary’s is ready to welcome the public.
Visitors will be able to tour the lighthouse five days per week – from Thursday through Monday. The Park Service plans to use this schedule until September and lighthouse hours will be dependent on seasonal staffing availability.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources began the renovation of the lighthouse in 2017 after previously acquiring it from the US Navy in a land swap deal in 2006. The property required extensive renovations that included stabilizing the structure, repairing leaks, replacing dry wall and timbers, rebuilding stairways, and re-finishing the former living quarters.
After that, crews installed new exhibits and artifacts to transport visitors to the early 20th century when lightkeepers still manned the light to guide ships away from the shallow waters that extend off the coast of Point Lookout, where the Potomac River meets the Chesapeake Bay. The extensive renovation efforts and exhibits cost an estimated $5 million.
DNR also renovated the coal and buoy sheds next to the lighthouse. When the lighthouse was in operation, the Coast Guard used the north shed to repair buoys that would later be transported to waterways to direct vessel traffic, while the south shed housed coal for heating and transportation uses.
“There are two things that make the Point Lookout Lighthouse unique,” said Dawn Letts, Point Lookout State Park complex manager. “One is that it’s the oldest integral lighthouse standing in the country. The other is the presence of the coal and buoy sheds. Typically, when lighthouses were automated, those sheds were removed. In this case, the US Navy maintained them while they were using the property and can now be shared with the public.”
Inside the lighthouse, visitors will find period pieces such as antique furniture and an early radio as well as detailed exhibits that tell the story about what life was like for the lighthouse keepers and their families.
Point Lookout Lighthouse was built in 1830 by John Donahoo – the same contractor who built 11 other lighthouses in the state including the Turkey Point Lighthouse and Piney Point Lighthouse.
In 1883, it was expanded to two full stories, and the light was raised about 41 feet above sea level. In 1927, kitchen and dining rooms were added to the structure. William Yeatman served the longest term as lighthouse keeper, fulfilling his duties from 1871 until his death in 1908. Several relatives of former Point Lookout Lighthouse keepers still live in the area and were invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony that took place in April to celebrate the completion of the renovations.
Learn more about Point Lookout State Park here.
