Hooper Strait Light, Maritime lighthouse at Navy Point in St. Michaels, Maryland.
Hooper Strait Light is a hexagonal lighthouse with iron screw pilings twisted like giant screws into the Chesapeake Bay seabed. The building has multiple levels including the keeper's living quarters and above them the lantern room housing historical navigation equipment.
The original tower was built in 1867 and destroyed when ice flows pushed it away in 1877. A new lighthouse was constructed in 1879 and later transported by barge to its current location.
The tower stands in the harbor today showing visitors how sailors once navigated and guided ships safely. At this location, you can understand how important coastal watching was for people who lived from the sea.
The tower is easy to reach from the harbor and you can climb stairs to explore all the floors. It is wise to wear comfortable shoes since the passages are tight and there are many steps to manage.
This is one of only a few remaining lighthouses of this type in the entire Chesapeake Bay and was originally moved here from a completely different location. The transport by barge was a remarkable feat of maritime engineering for that time.
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