Information
Landmark: Fenwick Island LighthouseCity: Ocean City
Country: USA Maryland
Continent: North America
Fenwick Island Lighthouse, Ocean City, USA Maryland, North America
Overview
At 103 146th Street in Ocean City, Maryland, the Fenwick Island Lighthouse marks the very end of the state’s shoreline, its white tower rising as a storied guide for ships through generations, meanwhile built in 1858 and lit for the first time on August 1, 1859, it stands out as Maryland’s only lighthouse shaped like a brick cone, its red walls weathered by salt and wind.Just so you know, Standing 87 feet high, the lighthouse was built to guide ships away from Fenwick Shoals-shallow sandbars about six miles offshore-where waves break hard and hidden ridges threaten vessels moving along the Atlantic coast, likewise in 1856, the U. S, simultaneously congress approved building the lighthouse, part of a wider push to make coastal navigation safer-like guiding ships past rocky shoals under foggy skies.As you can see, It carried a third-order Fresnel lens, a marvel of its time, casting a sharp white beam that sailors could spot from 15 miles away across the gloomy water, on top of that it let ships steer clear of danger and slip safely through the rough, churning waters at the inlet between Maryland and Delaware.For over a hundred years, the Fenwick Island Lighthouse cast its beam across the water, guiding ships safely through the murky, until 1978, when the U, then s.Coast Guard shut it down, replaced by current tools like vivid buoys and humming electronic systems, after that when the lighthouse was decommissioned, the news stirred deep public concern-locals could still picture its beam sweeping the murky bay-so in 1981 it passed from federal hands to the State of Delaware.Understanding its deep historical and cultural value, the community came together to save the vintage stone building, consequently in 1982, the lighthouse came back to life as a privately operated aid to navigation, and even without its official Coast Guard role, it still stands as a proud beacon, its white tower catching the sun.Right next to the lighthouse sits the historic keeper’s house, its weathered wood now carefully restored, therefore today, it serves as a cozy museum and gift shop run by the nonprofit modern Friends of Fenwick Island Lighthouse, where visitors can browse displays on the lighthouse’s past, the art of maritime navigation, and the rich local heritage-right down to a faded map smelling faintly of salt.In a way, It also puts on community gatherings and hands-on workshops, all designed to keep the lighthouse’s legacy alive-like teaching kids how its beam once cut through fog, besides the lighthouse rises in a classic red-brick cone, narrowing as it climbs toward the lantern room, where glass glints in the sunlight.Just so you know, For more than 160 years, its solid stone walls have stood firm against the sting of salt air and crashing coastal storms, in turn you can’t climb the tower-it’s off-limits for safety-but the lighthouse grounds are open, and you’re free to wander past the weathered benches and salty breeze.From what I can see, Inside the lighthouse grounds stands the Transpeninsular Line marker, a granite monument weathered smooth by centuries, marking where surveyors in 1751 fixed the eastern end of the colonial boundary between Maryland and Delaware, at the same time the marker bears the carved coats of arms of the Calvert family of Maryland and the Penn family of Delaware, a clear emblem of how their long-running territorial feud was finally settled.If you’re planning a trip to the Fenwick Island Lighthouse, you can stop by mainly on Sundays, Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays between 9 a.m, likewise and 1 p.m, when the white tower stands vivid against the morning sky.You can stroll in for free, though a tiny donation-like the sound of coins dropping into the box-helps keep the setting maintained and preserved, not only that tucked into a calm residential block, the lighthouse stands just steps from free street parking.The lighthouse tower may be off-limits, but the museum and grounds still draw history lovers, maritime fans, and curious passersby with stories, artifacts, and the salty breeze off the water, what’s more from here, you can take in sweeping views of the coast-calm bays stretching out in every direction and a quiet inlet where the water glints in the sun.Please note, the lighthouse isn’t open for climbing or inside tours, but the keeper’s house holds exhibits filled with history-ancient maps, faded photographs, and stories worth lingering over, while set near the Maryland–Delaware border, the spot carries a rare blend of geographic and political weight, marked by the weathered stone of the Transpeninsular Line.The lighthouse still stands as a beloved landmark, with its warm red brick catching the sun and its long service guiding ships along the coast, after that the Fenwick Island Lighthouse still guides ships, its beam cutting through the night, and stands as a beloved landmark that keeps the maritime history of the Delmarva Peninsula alive, occasionally By preserving its history and drawing the community in, it keeps teaching visitors and honoring the region’s seafaring past-sometimes with the salty scent of historic rope lingering in the air.
Author: Tourist Landmarks
Date: 2025-10-06
