Point No Point Light Station, Dameron Maryland

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A Maryland Act on April 6^th, 1874, authorized acquisition of approximately five acres of submarine land for the establishment of a lighthouse or other such aid to navigation. The Lighthouse Board stated in 1891 that:

The Board recommended a screw pile lighthouse with an estimated cost of $35,000. Congress refused to allocate the necessary funds, and the request was repeated in 1892 and 1893. By 1894, the Lighthouse Board considered screw pile lighthouses too vulnerable to ice damage on the Chesapeake Bay and now recommended a more expensive caisson-type lighthouse, estimated to cost $70,000. In 1899, the Lighthouse Board stated "petitions for a light at this locality have lately become quite urgent." Congress appropriated $65,000 on March 3nd, 1901, and a test boring was made at the site and plans begun. The plans were completed and the project bid in 1902. The lowest bid for the metal work was $9,475, while Toomey Brothers of Connecticut were awarded a contract to erect the caisson with a low bid of $38,880. They commenced work in August of 1902. This lighthouse was built using the pneumatic caisson system.

A 32-foot-square wood caisson was built up from nine courses of timbers and launched on November 15^th, 1902. The balance of the caisson's decking was attached completing a 13-foot-tall airtight caisson onto which was fastened two courses of plating of the cast-iron cylinder. Work stopped for the winter on January 24^th, 1903, and resumed on March 23^rd, 1904. A third course of cast-iron plating was added and 12 inches of concrete was poured into the cylinder over the caisson deck for ballast. A schooner was loaded with 350 tons of dry mixed concrete and a load of crushed stone, and a second vessel was loaded with riprap stone and sailed to the site. The caisson was towed by the tug Sarah to the site from Solomons, Maryland, on April 3^rd, 1903. A temporary pier with living quarters, which had been built by the contractors the previous year to assist in the construction of the station, gave way because of the beating of the caisson/cylinder assembly against the pier during a northwest gale. The assembly filled with water, overturned and began drifting down the Bay. Before the assembly could be retrieved, about 40 miles south off the mouth of the Rappahannock River on April 5^th, the second and third tiers of cast iron plates had broken off. The caisson was towed back to Solomons, Maryland, where new second and third cast-iron-plate courses were replaced and the pier rebuilt, all at the cost of the contractor despite their pleas to the Lighthouse Board.

The assembly was re-floated into position and re-sunk on October 21^st, 1903, and approximately 225 tons of riprap was placed around the assemblage cylinder to prevent current scouring. The rebuilt work platform and pier were destroyed again, this time by ice in February 1904. Construction equipment including the compressor, boiler, tools, and temporary workman's dwelling were also lost, but little damage was incurred to the caisson assemblage. A third pier was begun in March. By this time, the cylinder had been filled with concrete to within three inches above the third course and five tiers of plates were in place. Removal of sand and debris from within the caisson began on June 2^nd, and by the end of the month, it had been sunk 13 feet into the bottom. Two more tiers of plates were added and the cylinder completely filled with concrete except for the space required for a cellar and two cisterns. After the quarters were completed, and the fourth-order lens installed, the Point No Point Lighthouse was commissioned on April 24^th, 1905. The fourth-order lens was a six-panel light with two bull's-eyes panels and two opaque panels between them. The light issued an alternating flashing red and white light. The fog bell was struck a double blow every 15 seconds during foggy weather by weight-driven striking machinery. The first keeper was Anders Simonsen, formally keeper at the Love Point Lighthouse.

In 1913, the illuminant was changed from oil wick to incandescent oil-vapor. On August 23^rd, 1933, a powerful hurricane broke out many of the porthole panes, flooding the cellar, and contaminating the station's freshwater supply. The station's sailboat was torn from its davits and lost. The power source was changed from a 10-volt-battery pack to a kerosene generator on October 26^th, 1938. The station was described in 1938 as having a light characteristic of one-second white flash and 19-second eclipse as well as a red sector. The lens, a 360 degree revolving fourth-order Fresnel, was rotated by a weight-driven clock mechanism. The 30-pound weight had to be rewound every 14 hours. It was still using the incandescent oil-vapor type lamp installed in 1913. Oil was stored in two 550-gallon tanks in the cellar. The fog signal was a "Gamewell apparatus # 3" which was a weight-driven clock mechanism which provided a double strike every 15 seconds. The weights for this mechanism had to be rewound every hour and ten minutes. The fog signal bell was described as a 37-inch-diameter and 30-inch-high bell embossed with "Gamewell Fire Alarm Co." Water was collected from the roof and stored in two 1100-gallon cisterns in the cellar. The station was outfitted with a 22-foot "motor boat" powered by a six horsepower Lanthrop engine and a 16-foot "row boat" hung on davits.

The lighthouse was automated on April 24^th, 1962, exactly 57 years after its commissioning. William Wrightson was the last keeper in 1962. At this time, there were only three other manned lighthouses in Maryland: Craighill Channel Lower Front Range, Sandy Point, and Thomas Point Shoals. At the time of decommissioning, the lighthouse had a 16-foot and a 23-foot boat.

The lighthouse was painted in the spring of 1978. In 1988, about 32 cubic yards of debris was removed from the lighthouse before a thorough renovation could be completed. The structure was sealed so tight that resultant water moisture rotted much of the wood and rusted much of the metal. A leak had developed in the roof adding further moisture problems. During the summer of 1992, the Coast Guard Baltimore Group Curtis Bay washed the guano from the roof, wire-brushed and primed the bare metal, and applied two coats of black vinyl enamel.

Building Description

The Point No Point Light Station consists of a wooden caisson supporting a round 30-foot diameter 51-foot-tall cement-filled cast-iron cylinder, painted red, on which a brick 22-story 35-foot tall octagonal-shaped brick quarters, painted white, whose mansard roof is surmounted by a 1-story black iron lantern. The combination dwelling and lantern has elements of the Second Empire architectural style. The station is located in 18 to 22 feet of water, two miles offshore on the western edge of the main ship channel and approximately 5 2/3 nautical miles north-northeast of Point Lookout, and approximately 1 3/4 nautical miles east-southeast of Point No Point, on the northern side of the mouth of the Potomac River, middle Chesapeake Bay, near Dameron, in St. Mary's County, Maryland. Owned and managed by the U.S. Coast Guard in District 5, access to the station is via boat.

The lighthouse was described in 1905 as having a cast-iron foundation cylinder 30 feet in diameter and 51 feet in height, expanding near the top, which is 18 feet above the water, into a trumpet shape. Surmounting the foundation cylinder was an octagonal brick dwelling, two stories high, with a mansard roof, supporting a lantern deck with railing and an 8-sided lantern. A gallery surrounded the house, accessible from the water by means of two sets of ladders, and on it were placed steel davits, boat-hoisting apparatus, and the like.

The 30-foot-diameter cylinder is constructed of cast-iron plates bolted together in tiers and then stacked on top of each other, all mounted on a wooden frame caisson. The top tier of plates flares outward in the shape of a trumpet forming the gallery with a maximum diameter of 35 feet, 6 inches. The plates are connected at integral flanges to make them watertight, with the flanges turned inward to give it a smooth outer surface. The caisson is painted dark red/brown. A galvanized iron ladder mounted to the east side of the caisson provides access to the gallery level. The Coast Guard removed an adjustable accommodation ladder in 1964. The landing platform and metal stairs on the west side were removed at an unknown date.

The diameter of the octagonal-shaped brick tower is 25 feet, 8 inches, with each side typically 10 feet, 8 inches wide. The gallery deck is a concrete slab over the caisson top of approximately 18 feet above the high water level. The original gallery railing has been replaced with seven-foot on center 2 1/2-inch-diameter steel pipe vertical posts. The rails are made of 2-inch-deep by 4-inch-wide straight tubular steel. The top rail is approximately 43 inches above the deck, with an intermediate rail 8 inches below it. The bottom rail is approximately 10 inches above the deck. The intermediate and bottom rails support 3/4-inch-diameter balusters every 7 inches on center except the center baluster on each section that is 1-inch diameter. Each section of rail is 7 feet, 6 inches long. The stubs of the original railing are still present at the edge of the flared caisson plates.

The east and west side hatches have been removed. The boat davits on the east side have been removed but along the west side, hatchway remnants of what may be the original davit hoist are still present. A single replacement "fish" davit, used to hoist equipment and supplies, is located on the southeast side of the deck. A cast-iron-plate privy cantilevers over the water from the southwest side of the first level gallery. The toilet seat has been removed, and plywood has been placed over the bottom to cover the drop hole. The pyramidal-shaped roof has a decorative finial on top. A porthole opening is located on each sidewall, but the portholes themselves are missing. The privy has a ventilated wooden door which is in very poor condition.

The entrance doors to the tower are located on the east and west sides. The original wooden west door has been boarded up, and the original wooden east door, formerly replaced with a hollow steel door, is now replaced with an unlocked hollow wood door. The transom above the east door has been covered with acrylic sheeting fitted with an aluminum vent. The transom over the west door has been boarded up. Over both doors, a metal awning has been placed to keep out wind-blown rain. Both are in poor condition. Window fenestration consists of two windows on the first and second levels of the north and south sides. All four windows on the north side retain their original four-over-four wood sash windows while the south side windows retain only half of their original sashes. The east and west sides have a single window on the second level above the first-level doors. The sash has been removed from the east side window, and only the lower half remains on the west side. All windows have been covered with acrylic sheeting fitted with an aluminum vent. The head and sill of all windows are made of single pieces of unpainted cut pink granite. There is no fenestration on the other four sides.

There is a two-course corbelled brick belt between the first and second-level window openings. There is a second corbelled brick belt of three courses at the top of the second level just below the mansard roof. This corbelled belt is painted red. The remaining masonry portion of the tower is painted white, and the mansard roof and lantern are painted black. The vent for the stove and heating has been removed. The Coast Guard removed the 1,000-pound fog bell from the east dormer on November 10^th, 1964.

The lower level or cellar is located in the upper portion of the caisson, accessed by a spiraling stairwell located at the head of the foyer. This stairwell is covered with vertical beaded tongue-and-grove paneling painted light yellow. The iron-plate caisson is lined with a 32-inch-thick layer of bricks. Below this level the caisson is solid. There are eight portholes 192 inches in diameter with 14-inch-diameter openings located in arched alcoves in the brick lining. Five of the original brass porthole frames, including glass panes, are still extant, all in the open position. Acrylic sheets have been placed over the port hole openings and caulked in place. The brick walls were painted white at one time, but most of the paint has peeled away.

The first level floor is supported by vaulted masonry which springs from rolled iron beams that span the outer walls in the north-south direction. The lower level has been partitioned with masonry walls. One centrally located wall serves as an intermediate support for the first-level floor beams. Off the main room, a coal storage room is evident by remains of coal on the floor, and a coal shoot that runs to the gallery deck above and covered by a 17-inch-diameter iron cover. This room has a wooden door with the original hardware intact. Next to it is another room with an iron door that probably served as the oil room. A third smaller room probably served as storage. The doorframes for these rooms are made of cast iron. In the middle of the lower level, is a centrally located hollow iron column where the counterweights for the fog signal weight-driven striking mechanism was hung. This column also provided support for the upper floor loads. A small access door is located at the base of the column. Weights are still located in the column well. Below this cellar level, are two 1,100-gallon water cisterns built into the concrete pour. Each was accessed by a 16-inch-diameter hole in the floor. Solid covers no doubt once covered these holes, but now open iron grillwork covers them. A hand-operated water pump to these cisterns connected the kitchen on the first level. Two 550-gallon oil tanks are located in the cellar on 83-inch-square wooden timbers.

Immediately in front of the east entrance door, is a small foyer, and straight ahead is a spiraling stairwell that leads down to the cellar and up to the upper floors. A central wood column that is offset from the center of the structure supports the wooden spiral staircase. The walls of the stairwell are beaded vertical board paneling. In the middle of the foyer is a hatch that provides access to the cellar storage rooms. The original (or early replacement) is now located in the "sitting room." The hatch opening is covered with plywood sheets. Over the hatch, is a metal hook to accommodate a pulley line for lowering and raising stores. To the left of the entrance foyer, is a 4- by 9-foot storeroom converted to a shower room with vertical beaded board paneling which has been covered by plywood with wood batten strips covering the seams. This room presently serves as a storeroom for the solid wood raised panel doors and windows taken from throughout the lower level of the station. In August 1991, Gredell reported nine round finials from the original balustrades were stored in this location. In 1995, only three were left.

To the right of the entrance foyer, is a "sitting room" occupying approximately one-quarter of the total first floor area. This room and the bathroom have been covered with a concrete overlay that is cracking and in poor condition. Much of the fibrous wall board that was used on the walls and ceiling covering the still intact original beaded board paneling has been removed as of August 2002. Along the exterior walls, 3-inch timbers laid horizontally on 32-inch centers into the masonry were used as nailers for attaching of the original wall paneling. Most of the trim around the door jams and windows include bulls-eyes corner blocks, 1- by 4-inch casing with a molded back band, and wooden sills. The wooden baseboards are capped with a 2-inch ogee. Along the interior wall, are sturdy shelves that held batteries after the station was automated.

The second entrance door is located in a third room measuring 9 by 19 feet. This room may have been used as a living room and a kitchen at one time. The original door is still intact though it is covered with plywood on the outside. The original wood floor is in place. Portions of the original beaded wall paneling have also been covered with plywood though much of it has been removed. A chimney for a heating stove is located on the south side.

The second story is partitioned into two large rooms used for sleeping. Closet areas are located on the east and west sides between the bedrooms. The original beaded board paneling walls and ceiling were for the most part covered with fiber wallboard; however, as of August 2002, much of the wallboard has been removed. Portions of the floors of the bedrooms have been covered with plywood. Floor framing consists of iron joist hangers that connect primary and secondary members. The exterior ends of the floor joists are pocketed in the masonry walls. The door trim consists of the same bulls-eye molding as used on the first floor. The closet on the west side has been used to store removed and/or replaced doors and windows from throughout this level.

Approximately 18 inches above the third-floor level, the walls slope inward toward the lantern giving it its mansard roof shape. The beaded board wall paneling and nearly all the ceiling paneling has been removed, revealing the wood framing which is sheathed with 1-inch decking and topped with a flat seam metal roof. This replacement roof was laid over the gutters so that rain runs directly over the edge of the roof and not into the gutters. (When the lighthouse was automated, the gutter/cistern system was no longer necessary.) Each corner has a round beaded wooden 6-inch-diameter post that supports the lantern-level framing. The watch room level, like the two floors below it, is octagonal in shape. There are gable roof dormers with bull-nosed windows on the four sides which have fenestration. The fog bell hanging brackets, next to the south window, no longer used when the bell was removed, have been stowed inside. To the right just below the south window, is a fixed pulley wheel from which the weights to drive the fog bell machinery hung. A shaft ran from this level down to the cellar. An access door just inside the entrance foyer has part of the cable still intact. The Coast Guard removed the fog bell on November 10^th, 1964. Some of the same bulls-eye moldings are still present on the doorframes around the stairs.

The lantern consists of an octagonal wood frame supporting a cast-iron frame for housing a fourth-order lens. Access to the lantern from the watch room is via a continuation of the spiral staircase. The parapet wall of the lantern room interior is lined with beaded board paneling. There are three ventilators located in the parapet walls but all the regulators have been removed. The interior of the roof is lined with galvanized sheet metal. An inner smoke hood is still intact. a ventilator ball with a lightning conductor caps the roof. The roof was copper in 1938; now it consists of standing seam sheet metal.

The lantern deck is accessed by a 36-inch-high by 28-inch-wide plywood half door located in the parapet wall. The lantern deck sheeting has been replaced with plywood. The deck and lantern parapet are covered with a flat-seam sheet metal. The lantern deck top intermediate and lower railing consists of a 2-inch-wide by 1/2-inch-thick flat bar rail with 1 5/8-inch-diameter posts at each corner. The posts have 3-inch-diameter finial balls on top which match the finials in the shower storage room suggesting the lower gallery rail was made similar to, if not identical to, the upper gallery rail. Each of the eight rail sections is 7 feet long. Pipe flanges bolted to the deck attach the railing. A solar panel is mounted on the railing on the south side. Seven of the eight lantern panes are cracked, some badly.

The original fourth-order lens is no longer in place. The lantern contains a 300mm solar-powered lens. The aid to navigation is visible 11 miles away and exhibits a white flashing light every six seconds; an air diaphragm horn fog signal sounds a blast three seconds long, every 30 seconds, when conditions require its use.

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