|
|
Drum Point Maryland
Harbour Lights #440
Suspended above the bay, at the mouth of the Patuxent River, was a spindly-legged sentinel flashing its warning beacon to shipping vessels. Standing at a particular perilous shoal, near the north entrance, the Drum Point Light served mariners for close to eighty years.
Work began on the screwpile lighthouse in 1883. Built in only 10 feet of water, each of the seven 10-inch legs were screwed into the bay bottom and were supported by cross braces to form a framework foundation for the dwelling above. Then the workers erected the one-and-a-half story hexagonal dwelling to house the keeper and his family. Above that, the lantern room and its catwalk were added. Completed in record time, the keeper lighted the fourth order Fresnel lens only 33 days after the start of construction.
With a focal plane of 47 feet, mariners could navigate both the river entrance and the Chesapeake Bay with confidence, using the familiar light from Drum Point. In poor visibility, the fog bell would strike a double blow every fifteen seconds, providing extra insurance against shipwrecks. As the shoals and sandbars began to shift, the beacon’s light was modified. In 1899, officials added a “dark sector”, inserting a segment of glass to the inside of the lantern that would darken a pane. By avoiding the dark sector, mariners could steer clear of the shoals off Sandy Point.
Even as officials compensated for the changing ocean bottom, Mother Nature would shift the tides against Drum Point Light. Because sediment from the river raised the ocean bottom, shifting tides brought in more sand and because the water receded, the U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned the light. It was too far from the water’s edge to give adequate warning and it was concluded that this friendly sentinel was no longer needed.
Abandoned in 1962, the lighthouse was vandalized. But citizens still loved their familiar beacon and rallied to save the lighthouse. Twelve years later, it was moved upriver to the Calvert Marine Museum where it was lovingly restored to pristine condition. No longer abandoned and no longer alone, Drum Point shines with pride from its perch at the Maritime Museum, standing in remembrance of those who kept the flame.
|
HL# |
Name |
MSRP |
Introduced |
Retired |
Edition |
|
440 |
Drum
Point MD |
$75 |
Jun 02 |
|
Open |
|
