Wolf Trap Light

Wolf Trap Light is an octagonal two-story brick structure with a square tower and cast-iron lantern that rises 52 feet above Chesapeake Bay waters. The building stands on a rare pneumatic caisson foundation, engineered to guide vessels safely through these waters.

The current lighthouse replaced a screw-pile structure destroyed by ice in 1893, after the original lightship had been lost during the Civil War. This succession of replacements shows how natural forces and warfare shaped navigation aids in the bay.

The name comes from HMS Wolf, a British warship that ran aground in 1691 while enforcing trade laws and fighting pirates in the bay. This naming connects the location to an episode from the region's early maritime conflicts.

The automated light system sends a white flash every 15 seconds to guide vessels in the area. Access to this waterfront location requires travel across the bay, so plan accordingly to view the structure.

This lighthouse stands on a pneumatic caisson foundation, an extremely rare construction method used in only eleven lighthouses across the United States. This specialized technique represents an early engineering innovation in coastal construction.

Location: Mathews County

Inception: 1821

GPS coordinates: 37.39000,-76.19000

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:46