Old Cape Henry Lighthouse, Historic lighthouse in Virginia Beach, United States
Old Cape Henry Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse on the coast of Virginia Beach, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark. Built from brick with a plain and sturdy form, it stands on a small sandy patch facing the open ocean, with a newer lighthouse built right beside it in 1881.
The lighthouse was built in the late 1700s and was one of the first in the country, constructed to warn ships away from the dangerous shoals along the coast. In 1881 a new and taller lighthouse was built right next to it, and the original gradually fell out of active use.
The lighthouse is open during set hours for guided tours, and visitors can climb the tower to see the surrounding area from above. It is easy to reach from other parts of Virginia Beach, with parking nearby, and works well as part of a longer day out along the coast.
The lighthouse is one of only a few surviving structures in the country built so shortly after independence, making it unusually old for its type. Even though it was replaced by the taller lighthouse next door, the original tower still stands and remains the older of the two.
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